Navigating Feedback Choices: Chinese University Students’ Preferences and Decision-Making in AI versus Human-Provided IELTS Writing Feedback

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-440-2_161How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Generative AI; IELTS; Second Language Writing; Writing Proficiency; Mixed-Methods Research

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the perceptions, preferences, and decision-making processes of a group of Chinese university students regarding feedback provided by generative artificial intelligence (DeepSeek) versus human instructor in the context of IELTS Writing Task 1. As the application of generative AI in language education accelerates, it is essential to understand how students navigate and integrate different feedback sources. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, this research examined students’ evaluations, selections, and adoption behaviors concerning various feedback types. The findings indicate that students exhibit a stronger inclination towards human instructor feedback compared to AI-generated feedback, particularly in areas demanding higher-order cognitive skills, such as logical structuring and chart interpretation. AI feedback is found to be effective in enhancing vocabulary diversity, grammatical precision, and standardizing explanations, whereas human instructors excel in comprehending students’ writing intentions and cultural nuances. Moreover, a significant correlation exists between writing proficiency and feedback preferences, with advanced-level writers displaying a preference for teacher-generated feedback. This study offers empirical evidence supporting the integration of AI with conventional teaching methods in language instruction and advocates for utilizing AI to address fundamental linguistic challenges, allowing teachers to concentrate on mentoring complex writing skills. The research not only enhances the understanding of generative AI’s role in writing pedagogy but also provides practical recommendations for optimizing second language writing instruction.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Wenting Zhu
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/07/10
TI  - Navigating Feedback Choices: Chinese University Students’ Preferences and Decision-Making in AI versus Human-Provided IELTS Writing Feedback
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 11th International Conference on Humanities and Social Science Research（ICHSSR 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 1443
EP  - 1457
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-440-2_161
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-440-2_161
ID  - Zhu2025
ER  -