A Systematic Scoping Review of Self‐Regulated Learning With AI in Language Education
ABSTRACT The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has brought new opportunities for second/foreign language (L2) education while also raising concerns about the use of AI tools. This systematic scoping review provides a snapshot of the current state of research situated at the intersection of self‐regulated learning (SRL) and AI in L2 education. The review is restricted to empirical studies. It focuses on the current nature and extent of AI research in relation to SRL, the relationship between SRL and the use of AI, as well as a new understanding on the conceptualization of SRL in AI research. The review identified severe imbalances in the geographical distribution, language skills, and research designs that feature in extant AI‐related SRL research. Three key relationships between SRL and the use of AI were identified: (1) SRL as a learning outcome from the use of AI tools, (2) SRL as a guiding framework for AI‐related pedagogical designs, and (3) SRL as a strategic process when using AI tools. Furthermore, three themes related to L2 learners, self‐regulated behaviors, and AI‐mediated environments emerged. These themes suggest a need to view AI as a ‘capable peer’ and broaden SRL research to explore co‐regulated learning between learners and AI to capture the dynamic interactions through processes such as iterative prompting.
Authors
- Barry Bai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2124-5061)
- Sihan Zhou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1815-5938)
- Zhang Zheng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-0305-2998)
Institutions
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
Publication Details
- Journal
- International Journal of Applied Linguistics
- Published
- 2025-10-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/ijal.70030
- Primary Topic
- Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00