The Impact of LuzIA on Academic Writing in English as Foreign Language Learners

Abstract

Academic writing is one of the most difficult skills for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners to develop because it requires not only linguistic competence but also the ability to organize ideas and achieve coherence. This challenge is particularly relevant in multilingual environments, where learners must manage these demands simultaneously. This study analyzes the influence of LuzIA, a GPT-powered conversational artificial intelligence assistant integrated into WhatsApp, on academic writing, writing anxiety, and learner autonomy among EFL students at a bilingual secondary school in Ecuador. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed with 145 students from six intact classroom cohorts in Grades 8–12, whose expected English proficiency ranged from CEFR B2 to C1 according to their curricular placement. LuzIA was used for 12 weeks as a writing support tool in three English courses within the curriculum. Writing performance was assessed using the analytic rubric developed by Jacobs et al. (1981), which includes the higher-order components of Content and Organization and the lower-order components of Vocabulary, Grammar, and Mechanics. Writing anxiety (SLWAI), learner autonomy, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) were also assessed through an 18-item questionnaire.