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Critical Thinking in the Age of Generative AI: Effects of a Short-Term Experiential Learning Intervention on EFL Learners

·2025·International Journal of TESOL Studies
DOI 10.58304/ijts.250522
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Abstract

The integration of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT has transformed English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, offering new opportunities for supporting writing, research, and critical inquiry.However, unguided use of AI may foster cognitive passivity and over-reliance, highlighting the need for targeted pedagogical interventions.Grounded in experiential learning theory, this quasiexperimental study, employing a pretest-posttest control group design, evaluated the effectiveness of a 90-minute workshop, the Critical AI Engagement Cycle, in enhancing EFL learners' critical thinking skills when using ChatGPT.Despite the short duration, the workshop included multiple scaffolded activities designed to stimulate immediate critical reflection.Seventy-two undergraduate and graduate students at a Vietnamese public university participated, with 38 assigned to the experimental group and 34 to the control group.Participants were selected using convenience sampling based on course enrollment and availability.Pre-and post-test results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in overall critical thinking and each of the four subdomainsanalytical skills, logical reasoning, evidence evaluation, and open-mindedness-among participants in the experimental group.Notably, the consistent and large effect sizes across all critical thinking subdomains (Cohen's d = 0.94 to 1.23) underscore the robust impact of the intervention.The experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in post-intervention critical thinking scores, even after controlling for pretest scores, gender, prior AI knowledge, and AI skill level, as confirmed by ANCOVA analyses.The results suggest that even brief, theoretically grounded interventions can significantly enhance critical thinking skills in AI-mediated EFL environments.These findings underscore the importance of evidence-informed practices and highlight the need for explicit critical thinking training to ensure sustainable and responsible educational practices in the age of generative AI.

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  44. U.S. News rankings). His research interests involve TESOL, the use of generative AI in education, and influential psychological factors in learning and teaching such as critical thinking, emotion, and agency. He has published in prestigious journals, such as Teaching and Teacher Education and System (Elsevier), Language Learning & Technology, and the International Journal of Human- Computer Interaction (Taylor & Francis). ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3299-477X

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Metadata

Venue
International Journal of TESOL Studies
Publisher
International TESOL Union
Published
2025-05-28
ISSN
  • 2633-6898
  • 2632-6779
DOI
10.58304/ijts.250522
Cited by
5
References
2

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Critical Thinking in the Age of Generative AI: Effects of a Short-Term Experiential Learning Intervention on EFL Learners. (2025). International Journal of TESOL Studies. https://doi.org/10.58304/ijts.250522

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