Using AI-Powered Tools to Develop Critical Thinking Skills among Students in EFL Writing: Perceptions and Challenges

This study explores perceptions and challenges associated with using AI-powered tools to enhance EFL students' critical thinking skills in writing. To collect data, we employed a mixed-methods approach involving questionnaires administered to 30 EFL students and interviews with six EFL teachers from the Department of Foreign Languages at the University of Djelfa, Algeria. As a result, the findings of the present study suggest that participants view AI-powered tools as beneficial for enhancing critical thinking skills in EFL writing. Nonetheless, challenges such as overreliance on AI and a lack of personalisation in AI-based tools could hinder students' progress. Further studies may be needed to explore new ways to adapt to and leverage the emergence of AI in education while overcoming potential challenges.