Trust in ChatGPT and Perceived Academic Writing Improvement: A TAM-Based Quantitative Study in a ESL Context

International Society for Technology, Education, and Science. e-mail: ijtesoffice@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.ijtes.net

Y

16

Trust (Psychology); Artificial Intelligence; Academic Language; Writing Improvement; Writing (Composition); English (Second Language); Second Language Instruction; Undergraduate Students; Student Attitudes; Foreign Countries; Student Behavior; Prediction; Public Colleges; Writing Skills; Technology Uses in Education; Second Language Learning

2651-5369

This study examines the impact of undergraduate students' trust in ChatGPT on their perceived improvement in academic writing and their intention to utilize the tool in future writing tasks. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Trust in Technology Framework, the study employs a quantitative approach to examine student perceptions within a Functional English course at a public-sector university in Pakistan. A total of 225 students from the Telecommunication Engineering, Computer Science, and Chemistry departments participated in a structured survey. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis revealed that trust in ChatGPT significantly correlates with perceived improvements in clarity, vocabulary, and organization. Moreover, overall trust and Acceptance were strong predictors of students' future intent to use ChatGPT. The findings suggest that students' confidence in AI feedback enhances their writing development, underscoring the importance of institutional support and the ethical integration of AI. This study contributes to the growing body of research on generative AI in education by providing localized insights from a non-Western English as a Second Language (ESL) context and recommending pedagogically sound strategies for responsible AI adoption.

As Provided

2026

EJ1494433