Speaker
Description
Nowadays, as English is increasingly promoted as a second language in Vietnam, the demand for effective writing instruction among university students has grown significantly. Along with that, the integration of AI tools (ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, etc.) in many educational institutions is becoming more and more common. This study aims to explore students’ perceptions when teachers make use of ChatGPT, an AI-powered writing assistant, in combination with the mind mapping technique to support non-English major students in leveraging their writing skills. This qualitative exploratory action research employs needs analysis, open-ended questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and classroom observations to gather data. The study involves 45 pre-intermediate non-English major students from the Foreign Language Center at Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, who were preparing for the VSTEP exam in a two-month intensive training course.
The findings indicate that students have positive attitudes toward the combined use of mind mapping and ChatGPT, emphasizing how this integration creates a supportive and motivating learning environment that significantly improves their writing abilities, particularly in argumentative essays. Students appreciated ChatGPT for its assistance with grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and idea organization, while the mindmapping strategy was valued as an effective method for brainstorming ideas, structuring arguments, and enhancing critical thinking. The integration of the two elements can efficiently scaffold the writing process, boosting learning motivation and promoting learner autonomy. Further research is needed on how much AI tools impact deeper learning behaviors and the development of clear ethical frameworks to guide their use in educational settings.
Keywords: Mind Mapping technique, ChatGPT, writing Skills, students’ perception, scaffold
Biography
Tran Truong Thi Ngoc graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, majoring in English teaching (TESOL). She also holds an MA degree in Applied Linguistics from Curtin University, Australia. She has been teaching English since 2015. Currently, she is a visiting lecturer at different universities in Ho Chi Minh City, namely University of Education, University of Technology (HCMUT) and University of Information Technology. In addition, she has taught in many language centers which specialize in teaching IELTS, TOEIC and VSTEP(B1). In terms of research interests, she is passionate about pedagogical approaches to teaching English (especially task-based learning and translanguaging), psychology, applied linguistics and cross- cultural communication.
Contact:
Email: ngocttt@gmail.com
