“ARE YOU ON BOARD?”: UNIVERSITY EFL INSTRUCTORS’ READINESS FOR INTEGRATING AI-POWERED TOOLS IN TEACHING
Main Article Content
Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been hailed as revolutionizing education, particularly in English Language Teaching and Learning. As teachers stand at the forefront of adopting AI in their teaching, understanding their readiness to harness this technology warrants further examination. While studies on teacher AI readiness exist, most have adopted a quantitative research approach. Employing a mixed-method approach, this study aimed to explore the level of EFL teachers' readiness to incorporate AI-based tools in teaching, their experience and their intention of using AI in their teaching. The framework developed by Li and Liang (2025), which operationalizes teacher AI readiness through personal assets, value-cost beliefs, and contextual resource evaluations, served as the primary theoretical underpinning. Data were collected from thirteen EFL instructors working in a higher education institution in Hanoi, Vietnam, using a questionnaire comprised of both closed-ended and open-ended questions. The results revealed that teachers are ready to integrate AI-based tools, as evidenced by their knowledge and technological innovativeness. Although the institution has provided AI training and peer support, teachers still aspire to have greater access to AI tools, clearer guidelines, and more specific institutional policies. Despite the study's small scale, its insights into EFL teachers’ readiness for integrating AI-powered tools aim to enrich the literature.
Keywords
university EFL instructors, Artificial Intelligence (AI), teacher AI readiness, AI-Powered tools
Article Details
References
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Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). Exploring generative artificial intelligence preparedness among university language instructors: A case study. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 5, 100156.
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Lu, Y. (2019). Artificial intelligence: a survey on evolution, models, applications and future trends. Journal of Management Analytics, 6(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/23270012.2019.1570365
Luo, D. (2018). Guide teaching system based on artificial intelligence. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 13(8), 90–102.
Luo, X., & Xie, L. (2018). Research on artificial intelligence-based sharing education in the era of Internet+. In 2018 International conference on intelligent transportation, big data & smart city (ICITBS) (pp. 335–338). Xiamen: IEEE.
Luckin, R., Cukurova, M., Kent, C., & Du Boulay, B. (2022). Empowering educators to be AI-ready. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100076.
McCarthy, J., & Wright, P. (2004). Technology as experience. Interactions, 11(5), 42–43.
McArthur, D., Lewis, M., & Bishary, M. (2005). The roles of artificial intelligence in education: Current progress and future prospects. Journal of Educational Technology, 1(4), 42–80.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers college record, 108(6), 1017-1054.
Moorhouse, B. L. (2024). Beginning and first-year language teachers’ readiness for the generative AI age. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 100201.
Ning, Y., Zhang, C., Xu, B., Zhou, Y., & Wijaya, T. T. (2024). Teachers’ AI-TPACK: Exploring the relationship between knowledge elements. Sustainability, 16(3), 978.
Park, M., & Son, J.B. (2020). Pre-service EFL teachers’ readiness in computer-assisted language learning and teaching. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 42(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2020.1815649
Papert, S. (1987). A critique of technocentrism in thinking about the school of the future. MIT Media Lab. https://learning.media.mit.edu/courses/mas713/readings/Papert%2C%20technocentric%20thinking.pdf
Popenici, S. A., & Kerr, S. (2017). Exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning in higher education. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 12(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-017-0062-8
Reuben, B., & Kabilan, M. K. (2024). Assessment of university lecturers' readiness to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology in North-East of Nigeria. International Journal of Advanced Research in Education and Society, 6(2), 482-490.
Rogers, E. (1995). Diffusion of innovation. Free Press.
Spiro, R. J., Bruce, B. C., & Brewer, W. F. (2017). Theoretical issues in reading comprehension: Perspectives from cognitive psychology, linguistics, artificial intelligence and education. Routledge.
Sun, J., Ma, H., Zeng, Y., Han, D., & Jin, Y. (2023). Promoting the AI teaching competency of K-12 computer science teachers: A TPACK-based professional development approach. Education and information technologies, 28(2), 1509-1533.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds. & Trans.). Harvard University Press.
Wang, Y., Liu, C., & Tu, Y. F. (2021). Factors affecting the adoption of AI-based applications in higher education. Educational Technology & Society, 24(3), 116–129.
Wang, X., Li, L., Tan, S. C., Yang, L., & Lei, J. (2023). Preparing for AI-enhanced education: Conceptualizing and empirically examining teachers’ AI readiness. Computers in Human Behavior, 146, 107798.
Wei, L. (2023). Artificial intelligence in language instruction: impact on English learning achievement, L2 motivation, and self-regulated learning. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1261955.
Xu, X., Dugdale, D. M., Wei, X., & Mi, W. (2022). Leveraging artificial intelligence to predict young learner online learning engagement. American Journal of Distance Education, 37(3), 185–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2022.2044663
Yue, M., Jong, M. S. Y., & Ng, D. T. K. (2024). Understanding K–12 teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge readiness and attitudes toward artificial intelligence education. Education and information technologies, 1-32.
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education–where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0
Alshumaimeri, Y. A., & Alshememry, A. K. (2023). The extent of AI applications in EFL learning and teaching. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies, 17, 653-663.
Bautista, A., Estrada, C., Jaravata, A. M., Mangaser, L. M., Narag, F., Soquila, R., & Asuncion, R. J. (2024). Preservice Teachers' Readiness towards Integrating AI-Based Tools in Education: A TPACK Approach. Educational Process: International Journal, 13(3), 40-68.
Canagarajah, S. (2016). TESOL as a professional community: A half‐century of pedagogy, research, and theory. TESOL quarterly, 50(1), 7-41.
Celik, I. (2023). Towards Intelligent-TPACK: An empirical study on teachers’ professional knowledge to ethically integrate artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools into education. Computers in human behavior, 138, 107468.
Chaka, C. (2023). Generative AI chatbots-ChatGPT versus YouChat versus Chatsonic: Use cases of selected areas of applied English language studies. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(6), 1-19.
Chan, K. K.-W., & Tang, W. K.-W. (2025). Evaluating English Teachers’ Artificial Intelligence Readiness and Training Needs with a TPACK-Based Model. World Journal of English Language, 15(1), 129–129. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v15n1p129
Cheah, Y. H., Lu, J., & Kim, J. (2025). Integrating generative artificial intelligence in K-12 education: Examining teachers’ preparedness, practices, and barriers. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 8, 100363.
Choudhury, M. M. H., Elhaj, M. E. S., & Mohamed, M. M. H. T. (2024). Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Review of Its Uses and Impacts in English Language Teaching and Learning.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed). Routledge.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Crompton, H., Edmett, A., Ichaporia, N., & Burke, D. (2024). AI and English language teaching: Affordances and challenges. British Journal of Educational Technology, 55(6), 2503-2529.
Ebadi, S., and Amini, A. (2022). Examining the roles of social presence and humanlikeness on Iranian EFL learners’ motivation using artificial intelligence technology: a case of CSIEC chatbot. Interactive Learning Environment, 32(2), 655-673. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2022.2096638
Eccles, J. S., Adler, T. F., Futterman, R., Goff, S. B., Kaczala, C. M., Meece, J. L., & Midgley, C. (1983). Expectancies, values, and academic behaviors. In J. T. Spence (Ed.), Achievement and achievement motives: Psychological and sociological approaches (pp. 75–146). W. H. Freeman.
Edwards, C., Edwards, A., Spence, P. R., & Lin, X. (2018). I, teacher: Using artificial intelligence (AI) and social robots in communication and instruction. Communication Education, 67(4), 473–480. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2018.1502459
Eke, E. O. (2024). Assessing the readiness and attitudes of Nigerian teacher educators towards adoption of artificial intelligence in educational settings. Journal of Educational Technology and Online Learning, 7(4-ICETOL 2024 Special Issue), 473-487.
El Shazly, R. (2021). Effects of artificial intelligence on English speaking anxiety and speaking performance: a case study. Expert. Syst. 38:e12667. https://doi.org/10.1111/exsy.12667
Felix, C. V. (2020). The role of the teacher and AI in education. In International perspectives on the role of technology in humanizing higher education. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Ghafar, Z. N., Salh, H. F., Abdulrahim, M. A., Farxha, S. S., Arf, S. F., & Rahim, R. I. (2023). The role of artificial intelligence technology on English language learning: A literature review. Canadian Journal of Language and Literature Studies, 3(2), 17-31.
Holmstrom, J. (2021). From AI to digital transformation: The AI readiness framework. Business Horizons, 65(3), 329–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.03.006
Kaur, T., Singh, R., & Chan, S. (2014). Teacher readiness on ICT integration in teaching-learning: a Malaysian case study. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 4(7), 874–885.
Kim, N. Y., Cha, Y., and Kim, H. S. (2019). Future English learning: Chatbots and artificial intelligence. Multimedia Assisted Language Learning, 22, 32–53.
Kohnke, L., Moorhouse, B. L., & Zou, D. (2023). Exploring generative artificial intelligence preparedness among university language instructors: A case study. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 5, 100156.
Kurshumova, D. A. (2024). A snapshot of Bulgarian school teachers’ familiarity with, use of, and opinions on artificial intelligence at the threshold of its incorporation into the educational process. Discover Education, 3(1), 138.
Li, N., & Liang, Y. (2025). Teachers' AI readiness in Chinese as a Foreign Language education: Scale development and validation. System, 129, 103597.
Lin, P. H., Wooders, A., Wang, J. T. Y., & Yuan, W. M. (2018). Artificial intelligence, the missing piece of online education? IEEE Engineering Management Review, 46(3), 25–28.
Lu, Y. (2019). Artificial intelligence: a survey on evolution, models, applications and future trends. Journal of Management Analytics, 6(1), 1–29. https://doi.org/10.1080/23270012.2019.1570365
Luo, D. (2018). Guide teaching system based on artificial intelligence. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 13(8), 90–102.
Luo, X., & Xie, L. (2018). Research on artificial intelligence-based sharing education in the era of Internet+. In 2018 International conference on intelligent transportation, big data & smart city (ICITBS) (pp. 335–338). Xiamen: IEEE.
Luckin, R., Cukurova, M., Kent, C., & Du Boulay, B. (2022). Empowering educators to be AI-ready. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100076.
McCarthy, J., & Wright, P. (2004). Technology as experience. Interactions, 11(5), 42–43.
McArthur, D., Lewis, M., & Bishary, M. (2005). The roles of artificial intelligence in education: Current progress and future prospects. Journal of Educational Technology, 1(4), 42–80.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers college record, 108(6), 1017-1054.
Moorhouse, B. L. (2024). Beginning and first-year language teachers’ readiness for the generative AI age. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, 100201.
Ning, Y., Zhang, C., Xu, B., Zhou, Y., & Wijaya, T. T. (2024). Teachers’ AI-TPACK: Exploring the relationship between knowledge elements. Sustainability, 16(3), 978.
Park, M., & Son, J.B. (2020). Pre-service EFL teachers’ readiness in computer-assisted language learning and teaching. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 42(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2020.1815649
Papert, S. (1987). A critique of technocentrism in thinking about the school of the future. MIT Media Lab. https://learning.media.mit.edu/courses/mas713/readings/Papert%2C%20technocentric%20thinking.pdf
Popenici, S. A., & Kerr, S. (2017). Exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning in higher education. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 12(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-017-0062-8
Reuben, B., & Kabilan, M. K. (2024). Assessment of university lecturers' readiness to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technology in North-East of Nigeria. International Journal of Advanced Research in Education and Society, 6(2), 482-490.
Rogers, E. (1995). Diffusion of innovation. Free Press.
Spiro, R. J., Bruce, B. C., & Brewer, W. F. (2017). Theoretical issues in reading comprehension: Perspectives from cognitive psychology, linguistics, artificial intelligence and education. Routledge.
Sun, J., Ma, H., Zeng, Y., Han, D., & Jin, Y. (2023). Promoting the AI teaching competency of K-12 computer science teachers: A TPACK-based professional development approach. Education and information technologies, 28(2), 1509-1533.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes (M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman, Eds. & Trans.). Harvard University Press.
Wang, Y., Liu, C., & Tu, Y. F. (2021). Factors affecting the adoption of AI-based applications in higher education. Educational Technology & Society, 24(3), 116–129.
Wang, X., Li, L., Tan, S. C., Yang, L., & Lei, J. (2023). Preparing for AI-enhanced education: Conceptualizing and empirically examining teachers’ AI readiness. Computers in Human Behavior, 146, 107798.
Wei, L. (2023). Artificial intelligence in language instruction: impact on English learning achievement, L2 motivation, and self-regulated learning. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1261955.
Xu, X., Dugdale, D. M., Wei, X., & Mi, W. (2022). Leveraging artificial intelligence to predict young learner online learning engagement. American Journal of Distance Education, 37(3), 185–198. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2022.2044663
Yue, M., Jong, M. S. Y., & Ng, D. T. K. (2024). Understanding K–12 teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge readiness and attitudes toward artificial intelligence education. Education and information technologies, 1-32.
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education–where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0