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Description
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into language learning has raised significant concerns regarding academic integrity, particularly in writing tasks. Although AI tools are a helpful way for students to generate ideas and improve their language, it can also challenge traditional concepts of authorship and plagiarism. This study explored the perceptions of EFL students around how they navigate ethical boundaries of utilizing AI when writing academically. A mixed-methods approach was taken to investigate this topic, including 150 undergraduate students at FPT University. Data were collected using a survey that investigated students' views on authorship, plagiarism, and the use of AI as acceptable in their approaches to academic writing, as well as semi-structured interviews conducted with students to gain a more detailed understanding of the ethical reasoning and decision-making processes of students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The results of this study show there is a large gap between the frequency of students' use of AI tools and their limited understanding of the principles of academic integrity. Ultimately, this study indicates that there is a need for explicit instruction on the ethical use of AI in an academic context and the establishment of AI-aware assessment practices, as a means of ensuring students have fair and meaningful learning outcomes from their AI-assisted language education experience.
