ETHICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH GENERATIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN ESL ACADEMIC WRITING: LEARNERS’ EXPERIENCES FROM AN ISLAMIC HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXT

Abstract

The rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT has reshaped academic writing practices in higher education, including among English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. While existing studies have largely focused on the effectiveness of AI-assisted writing, limited attention has been given to learners’ lived experiences, emotional engagement, and ethical awareness, particularly within Islamic higher education contexts. Guided by an ethical perspective grounded in Islamic values, this qualitative study explores ESL learners’ perceptions and experiences of using ChatGPT to support academic writing at a Malaysian public university. Semi-structured group interviews were conducted with 50 Year 1 undergraduate ESL learners who used ChatGPT after completing their own written drafts. Thematic analysis revealed six interrelated themes: positive emotional engagement, linguistic scaffolding, learning through comparison, enhanced confidence and motivation, ethical awareness and self-regulation, and critical concerns regarding responsible use. The findings indicate that learners perceived ChatGPT as a supportive learning tool rather than a substitute for independent writing, particularly when its use was pedagogically guided and ethically framed. Viewed through an Islamic ethical lens, learners’ practices reflected principles of amanah (trust), mas’uliyyah (accountability), and adab al-‘ilm (ethical conduct in the pursuit of knowledge). This study contributes qualitative insights into the responsible integration of generative AI in ESL writing instruction and highlights pedagogical implications for Islamic higher education institutions seeking to balance technological innovation with ethical responsibility.