Unveiling the Dynamic Mechanisms of Generative AI in English Language Learning: A Hybrid Study Based on fsQCA and System Dynamics

The burgeoning development of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has unleashed transformative potential in reshaping English language education. However, the complex interplay of learner, technology, pedagogy, and contextual factors that shape the effectiveness of GenAI-assisted language learning remains underexplored. This study employed a novel mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and system dynamics (SD) modeling, to unravel the multi-dimensional, dynamic mechanisms underlying the impact of GenAI on English learning outcomes in higher education. Leveraging a sample of 33 English classes at the Harbin Institute of Technology, the QCA results revealed four distinct configurational paths to high and low learning effectiveness, highlighting the necessary and sufficient conditions for optimal GenAI integration. The SD simulation further captured the emergent, nonlinear feedback processes among learner attributes, human-computer interaction, pedagogical practices, and ethical considerations, shedding light on the temporal evolution of the GenAI-empowered language-learning ecosystem. The findings contribute to the theoretical advancement of intelligent language education by constructing an integrative framework encompassing learner, technology, pedagogy, and context dimensions. Practical implications are generated to guide the responsible design, implementation, and optimization of GenAI in English language education, paving the way for learner-centric, adaptive learning experiences in the intelligence era.