“I feel AI is neither too good nor too bad”: Unveiling Chinese EFL teachers’ perceived emotions in generative AI-Mediated L2 classes

Abstract

Despite the recent growth in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into second/foreign language (L2) education, its emotional side has been ignored, to date. In order to address this gap, the present qualitative study aimed to explore the typology of emotions that Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers had experienced in their AI-based L2 classes. Drawing on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and control value theory (CVT), a sample of 50 EFL teachers were interviewed individually. The results of thematic analysis showed that Chinese EFL teachers, in this study, had experienced a variety of positive and negative emotions due to AI technologies. The most frequently experienced positive emotions were ‘enjoyment’, ‘excitement’, ‘motivation’, and ‘satisfaction’. Conversely, the participants had most repeatedly experienced negative emotions of ‘anxiety’, ‘stress’, ‘worry’, and ‘frustration’ in their AI-based classes. The findings are discussed in light of prior research and suggestions and implications are presented to EFL teachers and educators.