Critical AI Literacy and Instructional Innovation Among University EFL Abstract Teachers: The Mediating Effect of Technostress

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into higher education has significantly transformed teaching and learning practices, particularly in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. University EFL teachers are increasingly expected to integrate AI tools into instruction while simultaneously managing the technological and psychological challenges associated with AI adoption. Within this context, critical AI literacy has emerged as an essential competency that may influence teachers' instructional innovation and their experiences of technostress. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between critical AI literacy and instructional innovation among university EFL teachers in Iraq, with technostress examined as a mediating variable. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed, and data were collected from ۳۱۲ university EFL teachers working in public and private universities in Iraq. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that critical AI literacy significantly and positively predicted instructional innovation, while it negatively predicted technostress. In addition, technostress significantly and negatively affected instructional innovation. The mediation analysis further demonstrated that technostress partially mediated the relationship between critical AI literacy and instructional innovation. The findings suggest that teachers with higher levels of AI-related knowledge, evaluative competence, and ethical awareness are more likely to adopt innovative instructional practices and experience lower levels of technology-related stress. The study highlights the importance of enhancing university EFL teachers' critical AI literacy through professional development programs and institutional support in order to promote effective AI integration and instructional innovation in higher education contexts.

کلیدواژه ها:

Critical AI literacy ، instructional innovation ، technostress ، EFL teachers ، higher education ، artificial intelligence