New Ways of Knowing
The Digital Transformation of Degree Documents and AI Assisted Chatbots for Student Support View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tinus Van zyl, Frances Wessels
The University Johannesburg in South Africa increased the security and controls around the issuing of Degree Documents and the verification of credentials in the last few years. The recent introduction of an AI assisted Chatbot has also transformed how they support student inquiries. Through these projects, they are leading the Digital Transformation of Degree Documents and reducing the risks associated with misrepresenting qualifications. This paper considers the experience and solutions behind the digital transformation strategy.
AI-Driven Metacognitive Strategies and Their Impact on Prosodic Competence in EFL Learners: An Explanatory Sequential Study View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Lindsay Chaves Fernández, Henry Sevilla Morales
Prosodic competence—mastery of stress, rhythm, intonation, and pitch—plays a crucial role in effective communication, yet many adult EFL learners struggle to develop these skills. While metacognitive strategies such as goal setting, planning, self-reflection, and self-regulation have been shown to enhance learning outcomes, their impact on prosodic competence remains underexplored in EFL contexts. This study addresses this gap by examining the link between metacognitive strategies and prosodic competence, focusing on the use of AI-generated exercises to support learning. Twenty-five sophomore TESOL students from a Costa Rican public university participated in a 15-week intervention during an English Phonology class. An explanatory sequential design (QUAN-Qual) was used. The quantitative phase included correlational analysis to assess the relationship between metacognitive strategies and prosodic gains, keeping in mind confounding variables such as teaching styles. The qualitative phase involved thematic analysis of students’ reflective journals, peer feedback, and survey responses, triangulated with activity logs to explore their experiences with AI tools and metacognitive activities. While no significant correlation emerged in the quantitative analysis, the qualitative phase highlights areas where students reported growth, suggesting that AI-driven, metacognitive strategies foster broader learning benefits beyond test performance. This research offers insights into the role of AI in enhancing language learning by promoting self-regulation and provides valuable implications for integrating metacognitive practices into EFL instruction. By combining human learning with machine-generated support, the study contributes to understanding the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in education.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Classroom: Approaches and Practices to Improve Writing at the University of Jeddah View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Nasser Alasmari
This research provides a comprehensive examination of the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the instruction of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at the academic level, with a particular emphasis on its impact on the development of learners' writing skills. The study was conducted with fourth year students of English at the University of Jeddah, Khulais branch and utilized such AI tools as ChatGPT and Perplexity. Findings indicate a notable enhancement in students' writing abilities, characterized by more organized compositions with a limited number of language mistakes. Nonetheless, certain challenges were identified, including a propensity for excessive dependence on AI tool suggestions, as well as underscoring the necessity for appropriate oversight from educators. This research significantly contributes to the understanding of AI integration in FLE classrooms, highlighting its benefits while stressing the importance of a balanced approach that harmonizes human involvement with technological advancements.
