Students' Attitudes Towards the AI-Based Automated Essay Scoring System: An Influencing Mechanism from Perceived Interactivity to Criticism

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has penetrated our lives by way of web search engines and mobile applications. AI-based Automated Essay Scoring (AES) is playing an increasingly important role in the field of education. This study explored the relationship between students' perceived interactivity of AES and their individual innovativeness as well as their reflective thinking about AES, and how these variables influence their criticism of AES. This study employed Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for the data analysis. Valid data were collected from 442 students (40.05% male, 59.95% female, average age= 19.7) who had experience of AVE in private universities in China. The findings showed that: (a) Students' perceived interactivity of AES positively affected their individual innovativeness and reflective thinking about AES; (b) Students' individual innovativeness of AES positively affected their reflective thinking and criticism of AES; and (c) Students' perceived interactivity and reflective thinking about AES did not positively affect their criticism of AES. The findings not only revealed students' attitudes towards and experiences of this technological tool, but also provide valuable support for enhancing teaching effectiveness and improving teaching methods.