From Automation to Agency: Designing a ChatGPT-Assisted Writing Prototype Test for Algerian EFL Students – A Case Study

Resumen

As Artificial Intelligence tools become increasingly embedded in higher education, the focus is shifting from mere technological integration to potentially influencing students’ learning and autonomy. This study examines the impact of ChatGPT on students’ autonomous learning and overall language proficiency in the EFL classroom. Employing a mixed-methods approach, a questionnaire was distributed to thirty English teachers to elicit their perceptions of ChatGPT’s impact on learner agency and to identify pedagogically grounded strategies for its integration in the classroom. Additionally, a ChatGPT-assisted writing prototype test was conducted to evaluate the extent to which the tool enhances autonomy and linguistic proficiency, followed by a classroom observation to systematically monitor their progress under the teacher’s guided supervision. The results figure out that teachers viewed ChatGPT as a two-sided coin; while it positively affects students’ language learning process, it may hinder their autonomy if not used critically and thoughtfully, emphasising the need for a strategic pedagogical approach to preserve their autonomous learning. Furthermore, the test revealed that combining ChatGPT scaffolding with strategic pedagogical instructions led to considerable improvements in students' independence and writing skills. The research concludes with suggestions for further empirical investigation of AI-assisted similar tools to promote learners’ autonomy and language learning.