AI-Supported Collaborative Autoethnography versus AI-Assisted Individual Journaling: A Mixed-Methods Study of Intercultural Learning in EFL Contexts

This mixed methods study explored how two AI mediated learning models—AI Supported Collaborative Autoethnography (AI CAE) and AI Assisted Individual Journaling (AI IJ)—shape the development of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Forty participants were randomly assigned to either the AI CAE (n = ۲۰) or AI IJ (n = ۲۰) group for a six week intervention. ICC was measured quantitatively through a pre test/post test design using the Intercultural Competence Questionnaire (ICQ), and results were analyzed through ANCOVA. Complementary qualitative data, including reflective texts and semi structured interviews, were analyzed thematically to illuminate the experiences behind the numbers. The AI CAE group showed significantly greater gains in ICC scores (p <.۰۰۱, partial η² =.۳۳۱). Participants’ narratives revealed that AI functioned as a reflective partner, encouraged deeper perspective taking through interaction, and transformed collaboration into a social space for growth. Collectively, these findings suggest that AI’s educational contribution becomes most meaningful when it connects learners to one another rather than confining them to solitary dialogue. The study positions AI CAE as a pedagogically grounded and empirically validated model for enhancing intercultural learning in digital EFL contexts.

کلیدواژه ها:

Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) ، Collaborative Autoethnography ، Artificial Intelligence in Education ، Mixed Methods Research ، EFL Learning ، Reflective Practice