ChatGPT Use, Learner Perceptions, and Academic Achievement in Moroccan EFL Higher Education
The purpose of this study was to investigate Moroccan EFL university learners’ perceptions of and use of ChatGPT regarding usability, learning support, and development, and to examine the relationship between these perceptions and academic achievement in English.
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT are increasingly used in higher education. Still, limited research has examined Moroccan EFL learners’ perceptions of ChatGPT regarding usability, learning support, and developmental constructs. Empirical evidence linking these perceptions to academic achievement in Moroccan EFL contexts remains scarce.
A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive research design was employed. Data were collected from 171 EFL university students from two Moroccan public universities using an adapted 18-item ChatGPT Usage Scale. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and independent-samples t-tests were conducted for data analysis.
This study provides context-specific empirical evidence from Moroccan higher education on learners’ perceptions of ChatGPT and clarifies the complex, non-significant relationship between perceived AI use and academic achievement in EFL contexts.
Participants reported generally positive perceptions of ChatGPT, with usability receiving the highest mean score (M = 3.73), followed by learning support (M = 3.68) and development (M = 3.43). Usability, learning support, and development were significantly correlated with one another (p < .01); however, none showed a significant relationship with academic achievement. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that ChatGPT-related variables did not significantly predict English achievement (R² = .025, p = .236). No statistically significant gender differences were found in the present study.
EFL instructors should provide structured, guided integration of ChatGPT into learning activities and promote AI literacy to ensure its use is critical and responsible. Informal and unguided use alone may not translate into measurable academic improvement.
Researchers should examine the long-term and causal effects of structured integration of ChatGPT on language achievement using experimental and mixed-methods designs. Further studies should also explore mediating variables such as learner autonomy, motivation, and digital literacy.
The study highlights the importance of responsible and structured integration of generative AI in higher education. It emphasizes the need for AI literacy and ethical guidelines to ensure that tools like ChatGPT enhance learning without encouraging overreliance or academic misuse.
Future studies should use longitudinal, experimental, and mixed-methods designs to examine causal relationships between structured use of ChatGPT and language achievement. Research should also explore contextual and pedagogical factors that influence the effectiveness of AI across diverse higher education settings.
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