From transmitter to facilitator: the English teacher in higher education in the age of AI
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aimed to examine English teachers' self-identification along a transmitter-facilitator continuum across different teaching domains, and to determine which individual and institutional factors are associated with this self-identification. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was applied through a survey of 112 instructors from four higher education institutions in Ecuador. Results show a facilitator self-identification considerably higher in the design of immersive and communicative activities (M = 5,68) than in explicit grammar instruction (M = 2,96), and a significant reduction in time devoted to direct explanation, from 48,3 % to 29,7 % (p < ,001). Perceived institutional recognition of the facilitator role showed the strongest association with this self-identification (r = ,66), above technical AI competence (r = ,41). In conclusion, the transition toward facilitation is real yet uneven depending on the teaching domain, with institutional recognition favoring the facilitating role over simple technical mastery of AI.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
La Revista Científica ECOCIENCIA opera bajo una bajo una licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento-No Comercial 4.0 Internacional (CC-BY-NC 4.0).
BY: la dirección de la revista, así como el Comité Editorial, tienen atribución para compartir, copiar y redistribuir el material de la revista en cualquier medio o formato, así como adaptar, remezclar y transformar las secciones de la revista no causando alteración en el contenido de los artículos publicados o previo a publicar por parte de los autores.
NC: el material de la revista no puede ser manejado con fines comerciales por lo cual ninguna de sus secciones ni artículos publicados por los autores, está disponible para la venta o actividad comercial.
Se autoriza la reproducción, parcial o total, de los artículos publicados en la Revista Científica ECOCIENCIA, siempre que se cite apropiadamente la fuente y se use sin propósitos comerciales.
Los miembros que conforman el Comité Editorial de la Revista Científica ECOCIENCIA, realizan una labor transparente en los diferentes procesos de gestión de la misma garantizando la elevada calidad de cada uno de los artículos que quedan publicados a disposición de la comunidad académica y científica. Dicho Comité verifica que cada artículo enviado por su autor/es, carezca de plagio y para ello se emplea el software antiplagio Turnitin.
El reporte que Turnitin envía como respuesta al editor evaluador, permite que este pueda visualizar si ha habido similitudes o plagio (en su defecto) lo cual comúnmente sucede por errores en la forma de citar o referenciar por parte del autor del artículo. Igualmente, el evaluador gracias al reporte de Turnitin, puede visualizar de cuáles fuentes o documentos originales ha incurrido en plagio el autor del trabajo. Una vez que sea constatada la ausencia de plagio en cada artículo, se da inicio al proceso de revisión por parte de los pares ciegos. Si se detecta plagio en el artículo, automáticamente este es rechazado y se notifica el veredicto al autor/es.
Cuando un artículo es aprobado, el/los autor/es conservan los derechos de autor y cede(n) a la Revista Científica ECOCIENCIA, el derecho de ser la primera que pueda editarlo, reproducirlo, exhibirlo y comunicarlo mediante medios impresos y electrónicos.
References
Almayez, M., Al-khresheh, M. H., Alruwaili, S. F., Al-Ali, M. N., & Alenezy, F. S. (2026). AI-driven adaptive feedback and EFL writing performance: The roles of engagement, metacognition, and epistemic agency in a cross-linguistic context. Acta Psychologica, 268, 107322. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107322
Alotaibi, N. S. (2024). The impact of AI and LMS integration on the future of higher education: Opportunities, challenges, and strategies for transformation. Sustainability, 16(23), 10357.
Baltà-Salvador, R., Brasó-Vives, E., & Peña, M. (2026). Evaluating AI-assisted creative ideation: A crossover study in higher education. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 59, 101958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2025.101958
Carranza, B. E. Á., Romero, I. A. B., & Mora, P. N. B. (2026). La retroalimentación pedagógica como recurso formativo para promover el aprendizaje autónomo en contextos educativos. Revista Científica Nexus, 2(3), 33–48.
Chen, X., Bear, E., Hui, B., Santhi-Ponnusamy, H., & Meurers, D. (2022). Education Theories and AI Affordances: Design and Implementation of an Intelligent Computer Assisted Language Learning System. In M. M. Rodrigo, N. Matsuda, A. I. Cristea, & V. Dimitrova (Eds.), Artificial Intelligence in Education. Posters and Late Breaking Results, Workshops and Tutorials, Industry and Innovation Tracks, Practitioners’ and Doctoral Consortium (pp. 582–585). Springer International Publishing.
Chen, X., Dewaele, J.-M., & Zhang, T. (2021). Sustainable development of EFL/ESL learners’ willingness to communicate: the effects of teachers and teaching styles. Sustainability, 14(1), 396.
Dela Cruz, C. S., & Dela Cruz, L. S. (2026). Leveraging artificial intelligence for intelligent student support: An AI-enabled SRM framework for higher education. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(3). https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026160
Deng, S., & Guo, H. (2026). Emotional pathways of Chinese university EFL teachers during AI integration: An ecological multiple-case study. System, 142, 104138. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2026.104138
Gurel Cennetkusu, N. (2026). EFL teachers’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence in language teaching: A mixed-methods study in Türkiye. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 13, 102580. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102580
Jiang, R. (2022). How does artificial intelligence empower EFL teaching and learning nowadays? A review on artificial intelligence in the EFL context. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1049401.
Kundu, A., & Bej, T. (2025). Transforming EFL Teaching with AI: A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 35(4), 2281–2314. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-025-00470-0
Lara, R. A. M., Criollo, L. R. S., Calderón, C. J. C., & Matamba, B. E. B. (2023). La inteligencia artificial; análisis del presente y futuro en la educación superior.: Artificial intelligence; analysis of the present and future in higher education. Revista Científica Multidisciplinar G-Nerando, 4(1).
Liu, F., & Wu, H. (2026). Threat or opportunity? Challenge vs hindrance appraisals of generative AI and self-regulated teaching among pre-service EFL teachers: A COR perspective. Acta Psychologica, 265, 106747. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.106747
Marroquín Dávila, C. R. (2024). La inteligencia artificial y sus aportes a la personalización del aprendizaje. DIDAC, (84), 103–112. https://doi.org/10.48102/didac.2024..84_JUL-DIC.218
Negahdari Nia, A. H., & Dastgoshadeh, A. (2026). Reflective teaching and formative assessment literacy: Evidence from an extreme-groups study of Iranian EFL teachers. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 11, 100581. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2026.100581
Nourashrafi, F. K., Alavinia, P., & Darvishi, S. (2026). AI-generated versus human-developed assessment tasks in EFL context: insights from TPCK model. Computers and Education Open, 11, 100415. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2026.100415
Omidvar, S., & Meihami, H. (2025). Exploring the “what” and “how” of opportunities and challenges of AI in EFL teacher education. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 9, 100443. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2025.100443
Pham, C. K. (2026). Exploring students’ perceived negotiation of critical thinking with teachers, peers, and AI in EFL learning. Acta Psychologica, 267, 107096. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107096
Rania Muhammad Qassrawi, Aya ElMashharawi, Mahmoud Itmeizeh, & Mohammed H. M. Tamimi. (2024). AI-Powered Applications for Improving EFL Students’ Speaking Proficiency in Higher Education. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 6(5), 535–549. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i5.6966
Rincón Macías, M. A. (2022). inteligencia artificial: ¿aliada o amenaza en la evaluación educativa? Desarrollo Profesoral Universitario, 10(1), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.26852/2357593X.691
Rungruangthum, M., & Thanyathamrongkul, R. (2025). Exploring EFL Students’ Needs in English for Online Business Course through AI Learning Analytics. VOICES AND VISIONS: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 8(2), 31–49.
Seyri, H., & Ghiasvand, F. (2025). “Teaching is basically feeling”: Unpacking EFL Teachers’ perceived emotions and regulatory strategies in AI-Powered L2 speaking and writing skills instruction. Computers and Education Open, 8, 100264. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2025.100264
Sumakul, D. T. Y. G., Hamied, F. A., & Sukyadi, D. (2022). Artificial intelligence in EFL classrooms: Friend or foe? LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(1), 232–256.
Sun, N., & Sun, Y. (2025). The role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in EFL teachers’ passion for self-directed professional development. Acta Psychologica, 260, 105546. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105546
Viñals, A., & Cuenca, Ja. (2016). El rol del docente en la era digital. Revista Interuniversitaria de Formación Del Profesorado, 30(3), 103–114.
Wei, X., Yang, J., & Yuan, R. (2026). Evolving EFL teachers’ professional identities in AI-mediated teaching: A longitudinal narrative inquiry. Teaching and Teacher Education, 181, 105630. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2026.105630
Williyan, A., Fitriati, S. W., Pratama, H., & Sakhiyya, Z. (2024). AI as Co-Creator: Exploring Indonesian EFL Teachers’ Collaboration with AI in Content Development. Teaching English with Technology, 24(2), 5–21.
Yan, B. (2026). Unpacking the role of multimodal AI tools in EFL students’ critical thinking skills and cognitive flexibility: A phenomenological inquiry. Learning and Motivation, 95, 102304. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lmot.2026.102304
Yermekkyzy, A. (2022). Using ICT Applications in EFL Teaching: Challenges and Experiences of Novice vs. Experienced English Teachers.
Zaim, M., Arsyad, S., Waluyo, B., Ardi, H., Al Hafizh, Muhd., Zakiyah, M., Syafitri, W., Nusi, A., & Hardiah, M. (2024). AI-powered EFL pedagogy: Integrating generative AI into university teaching preparation through UTAUT and activity theory. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7, 100335. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100335