Perceptions of AI-facilitated creativity in language education: A study on digital storytelling

Abstract

The study investigates perceptions of AI-facilitated creativity in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) digital storytelling (DST). Focusing on language learners, instructors, and audience, the research explores how AI influences creative processes and how such creativity is perceived across different perspectives. Over a six-week period, 32 EFL students used AI tools to create digital stories. The study employed pre- and post-intervention surveys to assess students' perceptions of AI-enhanced creativity, while the resulting digital stories were evaluated by instructors as experts, and peers as audiences to gather multi-perspective insights. Findings reveal that while AI tools significantly enhanced visual and audio elements, aiding in the contextualization of stories, the creative essence, particularly in narrative development, was consistently preferred when human input played a central role. The study uncovered favorable attitudes towards AI-facilitated learning, with noticeable improvements in post-intervention surveys. However, despite these technical enhancements, human-created storylines were valued more highly by the audience than AI-generated components. The results suggest that while AI can augment certain aspects of digital storytelling, such as enhancing multimedia elements, it does not replace the core creative input provided by humans. This has implications for the integration of AI in educational settings, particularly in language learning and creative disciplines. The study advocates for a balanced approach where AI supports, but does not substitute, human creativity.