AI literacy and high school English teachers' teaching anxiety: the chain mediation role of teaching self-efficacy and work engagement

Abstract

Introduction This study explores the impact of AI literacy on high school EFL teachers' teaching anxiety, with a particular focus on the underlying psychological mechanisms. As AI technologies become increasingly embedded in educational contexts, teachers are expected to adapt to new digital tools. While AI literacy may offer practical benefits, its relationship with teaching anxiety through psychological and motivational pathways remains underexplored. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the serial mediation roles of teaching self-efficacy and work engagement in the relationship between AI literacy and teaching anxiety. Methods A quantitative research design was employed to examine the hypothesized relationships. Data were collected from a sample of 392 high school English teachers in China using 5-point Likert scales. The responses were analyzed using SmartPLS to conduct partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The analysis included assessments of measurement model reliability and validity, followed by structural model evaluation. Mediation effects were tested through bootstrapping, and the Variance Accounted For (VAF) was calculated to assess the strength of indirect effects. While most serial mediation studies use SPSS with PROCESS, this study employed PLS-SEM, a relatively novel approach in educational research, to explore chain mediation. Results The results revealed that AI literacy negatively affected teaching anxiety, with higher AI literacy linked to lower anxiety. Both teaching self-efficacy and work engagement mediated this relationship, with self-efficacy serving as a stronger mediator. A significant serial mediation pathway was found: AI literacy was associated with higher self-efficacy, which in turn was related to increased work engagement and lower teaching anxiety. Discussions The results provide support for the proposed hypotheses and highlight the significant role of AI literacy in relation to psychological well being among EFL teachers. The findings suggest that AI literacy is associated with higher self-efficacy and engagement, which are in turn linked to lower teaching-related anxiety. These findings point to the importance of integrating AI literacy training alongside psychological and motivational support strategies in teacher development programs, particularly within the evolving landscape of AI-driven education.