Title: Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Students’ Use and Non-Use of AI in a Beginner Mandarin Chinese Course

Name of presenter: Yu-Han Hung

Affiliation and academic title: Tampere University, University Instructor

Email address: yu-han.2.hung@tuni.fi

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Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI in Higher Education, Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL), Beginner Language Learning, Student Perspectives, Assessment Design

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Abstract:

​The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has resulted in both positive reception and concerns among different stakeholders in educational settings. To ensure proper usage, guidelines for AI in academic contexts have been introduced. Despite the perceived benefits and expectation of increasing student use of AI for academic tasks, some students still hold a more skeptical stance toward AI. This study investigates this phenomenon—limited or non-use of AI—in a beginner Mandarin Chinese course in a university. Originally designed to examine how different assignment types might influence students’ use of AI, the study conducted an online survey and follow-up interviews with volunteer participants. Survey results showed that students did not use, or rarely used,AI in the course. The two students who participated in the interview also reported no use of AI during the course. Qualitative analysis suggests that the students’ non-use of AI could be influenced both internally, by personal beliefs and learning habits, and externally, by the design and grading system of the course. In addition, while AI tools failed to provide beginner-level suitable language, traditional learning resources, such as textbooks and online dictionaries, were preferred by students. These findings highlight the importance of contextual factors, especially language proficiency level and assessment design, in shaping AI-related practices.