Qualitative insights into EFL students’ use of ChatGPT-assisted autonomous learning for enhancing self-directed learning in Palestinian higher education

This qualitative thematic study examines Palestinian EFL students’ perceptions of ChatGPT-assisted learning and its role in supporting autonomous and self-directed learning in higher education. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 30 undergraduate students from two Palestinian universities, the study explores how learners engage with ChatGPT as a learning scaffold to manage academic tasks, clarify linguistic concepts, and regulate learning beyond immediate teacher supervision. The findings indicate that students perceive ChatGPT as an accessible and responsive tool that supports idea generation, comprehension, and language revision while enhancing confidence, motivation, and perceived control over learning processes. At the same time, participants expressed critical concerns regarding overreliance on AI-generated output, potential misinformation, reduced cognitive engagement, and the absence of human-mediated feedback. Importantly, students emphasized that AI-supported autonomy is most effective when complemented by pedagogical guidance, ethical awareness, and critical reflection. Situated within the resource-constrained and politically complex context of Palestinian higher education, the study argues that ChatGPT can facilitate self-directed learning not as a replacement for instruction but as a contextually adaptive support mechanism. The article concludes by highlighting the need for guided, theory-informed integration of AI tools that balances learner autonomy with instructional responsibility and proposes directions for future research on AI-assisted language learning in constrained educational environments.