INTEGRATING GENAI, TECHNOLOGY, AND COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN ESL WRITING COURSES IN EMI UNIVERSITIES IN CHINA

ABSTRACT

This study explores integrating cooperative learning strategies, technology, and General Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) feedback to enhance writing support for ESL students in Chinese English Medium Instruction (EMI) universities. Given ESL students' language proficiency challenges, traditional pedagogical methods often fail to address these needs. This research employs a socio-constructivist framework, utilizing group discussions, peer editing workshops, and collaborative writing projects supplemented by GenAI tools such as GPT-4Omni, Soro, and Claude. These tools provide immediate, personalized grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and organization feedback. The study aims to understand how these integrated approaches impact ESL students' writing skills and academic performance. Key findings indicate that combining cooperative learning and GenAI feedback significantly improves students' writing proficiency, fosters autonomous learning, and enhances engagement. Furthermore, the study underscores the need for policy initiatives to support technology integration and teacher training to implement these innovative approaches effectively. These findings offer valuable insights for educators and policymakers seeking to enhance ESL education in China and beyond, suggesting that the strategic use of GenAI can transform traditional ESL pedagogy and better prepare students for academic and professional success in a globalized context.