Assessing the Efficacy of AI-Powered Writing Prompts in Enhancing Students’ Writing Skills

Abstract

The quantitative study examines the effectiveness of artificial intelligence writing prompts in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) to 221 students from technical disciplines. The survey findings indicated that between 60% and 70% of respondents found the prompts readable and helpful for improving their writing and for receiving feedback. However, only 54.8% of participants strongly supported the diversity of prompts. Structured activities were perceived as the most beneficial, specifically narrative reviews (68.8%), slang exercises (68.3%), and essay completions (65.1%). Sixty-one percent to seventy-five percent of students reported perceived improvements in their capabilities, with 74.2% indicating that their confidence and attitudes towards writing were enhanced. The research confirms that AI is an effective tool for structured writing activities in line with the principles of Vygotskian education. However, AI's potential to encourage creative activities is limited, underscoring the importance of further human-centered instruction. These results provide important insights into how ESP curricula should be developed and suggest that further research is needed in non-technical areas.