Attitudes towards customized chatbots in English language teaching: results of an all-Russian survey

Center researchers V.M. Evdash and N.N. Zhuravleva, in collaboration with I.E. Belyakova, a researcher from the Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, share the results of their study on the integration of AI tools into educational practice. The focus is on the creation and application of customized chatbots by university EFL educators to address specific teaching issues.
A large-scale survey was conducted among Russian EFL educators who shared their perceptions of new technologies, their ability to independently design and configure virtual assistants for their teaching purposes, as well as the barriers and concerns they face when implementing chatbots. 
The study revealed that most educators view chatbots not merely as a trendy technological novelty, but as a powerful tool for automating routine assignment checks, creating personalized exercises, and providing students with high-quality extracurricular language practice. Nevertheless, many educators are not fully aware of a customized chatbot concept and currently lack the technical capacity to develop chatbots independently, but are ready to learn and implement this technology. 
Valeria Evdash, Director of the Center
"Our research has confirmed that EFL educators are generally open to innovation and perceive AI as an effective assistant. However, the key factor for success lies precisely in deep customization. Educators need to move beyond using ready-made template solutions and learn to adapt generative AI tools to the unique needs of their students. Specialists who already know how to personalize a chatbot logic for specific educational purposes demonstrate a significantly higher level of trust in the technology and readiness to implement it on a regular basis."
The full article has been published in the journal "Lifelong Education: the 21st Century."