ENGLISH DEPARTMENT STUDENTS' VOICES ON AI UNDERSTANDING AND USAGE: A STUDY OF AI LITERACY IN A UNIVERSITY SETTING
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31851/mbd8am55Keywords:
EFL Students, English Pronunciation, Google Translate Speaker, Pronunciation Practice, Text-to-SpeechAbstract
This study explores how English Department students perceive Artificial Intelligence (AI) and use AI tools in university learning. It examines their understanding of AI, its academic applications, information verification practices, and ethical considerations in AI-assisted learning. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, data were collected through a Google Forms questionnaire involving 30 fourth-semester English Education students at Universitas PGRI Palembang. Five active AI users were subsequently selected for semi-structured interviews and classroom observations, while documentation supported the research process. The findings show that students viewed AI as a learning assistant for answering questions, improving writing, correcting grammar, generating ideas, translating texts, and explaining complex materials. Frequently used tools included ChatGPT, Grammarly, Gemini, Claude AI, NotebookLM, Meta AI, and Google Translate. However, students rarely verified the accuracy of AI-generated information. The findings provide implications for English language teaching, academic writing, digital literacy, and institutional guidelines for responsible AI use. Lecturers are encouraged to design learning activities that emphasize prompt development, source verification, critical revision, and reflection so that AI functions as a learning support rather than a replacement for independent thinking. This study contributes Indonesian evidence by revealing that positive attitudes toward AI do not necessarily translate into responsible academic practices.
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