Adaptive Expertise of College English Teachers in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: A Grounded Theory Approach

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and the continuous reform of English education in China have greatly reshaped the professional requirements for college English teachers. In contrast to the predominance of general teacher perspectives in adaptive expertise research, college English teaching offers a discipline-specific context in which adaptive expertise becomes particularly salient in response to AI-related pedagogical change. This study adopts a grounded theory approach to explore the qualities that college English teachers should possess in the era of artificial intelligence. A five-dimensional dynamic model of adaptive expertise was developed, consisting of knowledge expertise, competence expertise, vision expertise, emotional expertise, and development expertise. It shows that knowledge expertise embodies the integration of multiple knowledge domains required in the AI era; competence expertise emphasizes the ability to design and implement AI-enhanced instruction; vision expertise reflects global and future awareness in AI-technology integration; emotional expertise sustains resilience and motivation amid technological change; and development expertise promotes lifelong learning and innovation. These dimensions transfer, enhance, and inspire one another, forming a closed and self-reinforcing loop. It enriches the understanding of teacher professionalism in the AI era and offers a framework for cultivating AI-resilient expertise in higher education.