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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL Vol. 17, No. 12, July 2026 Pp.3-22
Center for Human and Philosophical Studies, King Khalid University,
Abha, Saudi Arabia
The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is transforming contemporary educational practices, particularly in terms of language assessment and academic writing instruction. The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of AI-powered digital assessment tools in improving academic writing skills among university students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The study employed a quasi-experimental research design involving two groups of undergraduate students: an experimental group that received instruction supported by AI-based digital assessment tools and a control group that followed traditional writing instruction. To assess students’ writing performance, pre-test and post-test writing assessments were administered before and after the instructional intervention. Statistical analyses, including independent-samples and paired-samples t-tests, were conducted to examine differences both between and within the groups. The findings indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in the pre-test, confirming the initial equivalence of the two groups. However, the post-test results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group compared with the control group. Specifically, students who utilized AI-powered digital assessment tools achieved considerably higher mean scores in academic writing performance. In addition, within-group analysis demonstrated a substantial improvement in the experimental group from the pre-test to the post-test, whereas the control group showed only limited progress. These findings suggest that integrating AI-supported feedback and automated writing evaluation systems can effectively enhance students’ writing accuracy, organization, and overall academic writing quality. The study underscores the pedagogical value of integrating AI-powered digital assessment tools in enhancing students’ academic writing performance while supporting more efficient and objective assessment practices in EFL learning environments.
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Prof. Drs Ali Albashir Mohammed Alhaj is a University Professor of Translation Studies at King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. He holds four PhDs in Translation Studies, Linguistics, and English Literature and is a recipient of an Artificial Intelligence Fellowship. He has published more than 300 research papers and over 60 books, with research interests spanning AI in education, TESOL, translation studies, linguistics, and literature. He received the King Khalid University Excellence Award in 2020 and 2025. He is also a certified editor/reviewer for Taylor & Francis, Frontiers AI/Psychology, and QiST Journal. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4845-176X