Exploring the factors of students' intention to participate in AI software development

From literacy to learning: The sequential mediation of attitudes and enjoyment in AI-assisted EFL education

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become increasingly prominent in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. However, research on the factors influencing learners' sustained engagement with AI-assisted learning is scarce. This study bridges this gap by investigating the impact of AI literacy, learner attitudes toward AI-assisted learning, and foreign language enjoyment (FLE) on Chinese EFL learners' continuance intention (CI) for AI-assisted EFL learning. A survey of 417 EFL learners was conducted, and structural equation modeling was utilized to elucidate the relationships between these variables. The findings reveal that AI literacy, learner attitudes, and FLE significantly predict the CI. Moreover, AI literacy indirectly influences CI by mediating learner attitudes and FLE. Finally, FLE mediates the relationship between learner attitudes and CI. The study verifies a sequential mediation model, providing new insights into EFL learners' cognitive and affective traits and extending current models on the continuance intention in AI-assisted EFL learning. The research underscores the necessity for educators and technology developers to consider learners' interests and feedback, which are crucial for the sustainable progress of AI-assisted EFL learning.

The effect of student self-efficacy on learning outcomes in a business simulation mobile game: a quasi-experimental study

Purpose

This study has two objectives: to explore the factors that influence student self-efficacy regarding engagement and learning outcomes in a business simulation game course and to compare the difference between hierarchical and general teaching methods.

Design/methodology/approach

From September 2021 to May 2022, a questionnaire was administered to 126 students in a business simulation game course at the Zhongshan Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. Data were analyzed using nonparametric paired samples tests and linear regression.

Findings

The results showed that student self-efficacy, engagement and learning outcomes were significantly higher with the hierarchical teaching method than with the general teaching method. There were also differences in the factors that influenced self-efficacy regarding learning outcomes between the two teaching methods. With the general teaching method, student self-efficacy did not directly affect learning outcomes, but did so indirectly by mediating the effect of engagement. However, with the hierarchical teaching method, self-efficacy directly and significantly affected learning outcomes, in addition to indirectly affecting learning outcomes through student engagement.

Research limitations/implications

Compared with the control group experimental research method, the quasi-experimental research method can eliminate the influence of sample heterogeneity itself, but the state of the same sample may change at different times, which is not necessarily caused by the hierarchical teaching design.

Practical implications

Based on the results of this study, teachers can apply hierarchical teaching according to student ability levels when integrating business simulation games. The results of this study can inspire teachers to protect student self-confidence and make teaching objectives and specific requirements clear in the beginning of the course, and also provide an important practical suggestion for students on how to improve their course performance.

Social implications

The research results can be extended to other courses. Teachers can improve students' self-efficacy through hierarchical teaching design, thus improving students' learning performance and also provide reference value for students to improve their learning performance.

Originality/value

This study built a model based on self-system model of motivational development (SSMMD) theory, comparing factors that affect student self-efficacy regarding learning outcomes under different teaching methods. The model enriches the literature on SSMMD theory as applied to business simulation game courses and adds to our understanding of hierarchical teaching methods in this field. The results provide a valuable reference for teachers that can improve teaching methods and learning outcomes.