A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of AI Use on English Learner Engagement

This study investigates the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) use on English learner engagement and conducts moderator analysis to identify the variables that exert a moderating effect on AI’s impact. A multi-database search was conducted to locate 846 records, and 17 primary studies yielding 36 effect sizes were included in this meta-analysis after deduplication, screening and full-text eligibility assessment. Aggregated results show that AI use has a large average impact on English learner engagement ( g  = 0.955, 95% CI [0.720, 1.191]). Given the substantial between-study heterogeneity, this pooled estimate represents an average effect across the included studies. Moderator analyses demonstrate that the estimated effect of AI use on English learner engagement varies significantly according to the roles of AI and learners’ major. The results provide researchers, instructors and administrators with the effectiveness of AI in enhancing engagement in English as a second language and a foreign language learning contexts.