English Language Teachers' Perspectives on Digital Trust in AI-Supported Education

Abstract

In the last decade, there emerged a rapid increase in the use of digital platforms and applications in educational field and language education was no exception. Various technological tools and many platforms which provide interactive learning experience for language learners, taking their needs and interests into account, have been introduced. Among those tools, artificial intelligence (AI)-based ones have become quite popular and using them has resulted in crucial transformations in language education. This study aimed to investigate English language teachers' knowledge about AI and their attitudes and beliefs towards using AI-based tools in language teaching considering some variables such as age, gender, years of experience and so on. We also aim to find out whether they trust these tools. A mixed-method research design was used to collect the data. The participants were 144 English teachers from primary, secondary and higher education. They were given the instrument to measure teachers' trust in AI-based education technology first, and then 11 volunteer teachers were interviewed to reach their in-depth knowledge. The results indicated that English language teachers have positive attitudes towards AI, yet they have some pedagogical and ethical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, accountability, transparency, inclusivity and lack of human touch.