Speaker
Description
Vocabulary knowledge constitutes a fundamental component of language proficiency and plays a crucial role in second language development. With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI tools such as ChatGPT have emerged as potential resources for supporting vocabulary learning. However, empirical evidence concerning English-major students' perceptions of ChatGPT in this domain remains limited, particularly in the Vietnamese higher education context. This study investigated the perceptions of 319 English-major students at Nam Can Tho University regarding the use of ChatGPT for vocabulary acquisition. A convergent mixed-methods design was adopted, combining a questionnaire adapted from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), comprising Likert-scale and open-ended items, with semi-structured interviews involving eight purposively selected participants. Quantitative findings indicated high levels of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, reflecting students' positive acceptance of ChatGPT as a vocabulary learning tool. Qualitative findings further revealed that ChatGPT facilitated vocabulary acquisition by providing contextualized explanations, personalized examples, and interactive learning support that promoted deeper lexical understanding. Nevertheless, participants also expressed concerns regarding occasional factual inaccuracies, inconsistent language use, and limited pronunciation support. Importantly, most participants viewed ChatGPT as a complementary learning assistant rather than a substitute for teacher guidance. The findings underscore the pedagogical value of integrating AI-assisted vocabulary learning while emphasizing the importance of developing students' critical AI literacy for informed and effective educational use.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), vocabulary learning, mixed-methods research.
