Investigating teachers’ attitude toward integration of ChatGPT in language teaching and learning in higher education

Abstract Understanding teachers’ perspectives is essential for successful technology adoption as technology plays an increasingly important role in education. The aim of this study is to explore the nuanced dynamics of using natural language processing models such as ChatGPT in higher education settings. Understanding the complexity of teachers’ attitudes is crucial for the creation of supportive environments that enable them to embrace technology as a meaningful enhancement to language teaching. While chatbots have gained popularity in various fields, such as tourism and medicine, their use in the higher education sector, especially in Romanian universities, has not yet been sufficiently explored. The study consisted of a focus group with 15 teachers. This led to qualitative findings with practical implications for language teaching. The benefits of incorporating ChatGPT into language teaching, such as immediate correction, real-time practice and continuous learning, were found to have a positive impact on learning outcomes. In addition, the teachers found ChatGPT to be a valuable tool for organizing their work, providing an efficient means of managing language tasks and assessments, and contributing to a more efficient classroom process.