VietTESOL International Convention 2026

This study investigated the effects of NotebookLM-supported English learning on Grade 9 students’ self-learning capacity in a Vietnamese lower secondary school. A quasi-experimental design was employed with 80 students, including 41 students in the experimental group and 39 students in the control group. The experimental group used NotebookLM as a teacher-curated AI learning support tool, while the control group followed regular learning practices. Data were collected using a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire on students’ self-learning capacity, which had been piloted with 36 students before the main study. Quantitative data were analyzed using t-tests and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicated that the two groups were statistically equivalent before the intervention, confirming a comparable baseline. After the intervention, the experimental group showed a substantial improvement in overall self-learning capacity, whereas the control group showed only a slight and statistically insignificant change. More specifically, the intervention produced notable gains across five key components of self-learning capacity: goal setting, learning strategies, self-monitoring, self-efficacy, and engagement. The PLS-SEM results further confirmed that NotebookLM had a positive and statistically significant effect on students’ self-learning capacity (β = 0.855, t = 7.738, p < .001), explaining 18.3% of its variance. These findings suggest that NotebookLM-supported English learning has the potential to enhance students’ capacity to set learning goals, apply appropriate strategies, monitor their progress, build confidence, and engage more actively in independent English learning.