Empowering learner autonomy for developing writing skills through AI-enhanced reflective journals

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of traditional versus reflective journals, enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI), on developing learner autonomy in writing skills among EFL learners. Following a quasi- experimental design, the data collection involved 36 college students in an English preparatory program. A demographic information questionnaire and the Learner Autonomy Scale (LAS) were used to collect the data. While the control group kept traditional reflective journals after each writing task, the experimental group wrote AI- assisted reflective journals using AI chatbot software for five weeks. The findings revealed that traditional reflective journaling had a negligible impact on students' autonomy. However, the implementation of AI- enhanced reflective journals showed a noticeable change in students' self- evaluation skills. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.