ATTITUDES TOWARDS USING AI TOOLS AMONG TERTIARY LEVEL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN KHULNA DISTRICT

This research investigates the attitudes of tertiary students and teachers in Khulna District, Bangladesh, towards AI tools use in language learning, examining the most essential influencing factors and demographic variations. A total of 140 students and 36 teachers sample data points were collected for the quantitative part, and interviews were conducted with 20 students and 9 teachers for the qualitative part from three universities: Khulna University, Northern University, and North Western University. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative questionnaires includes Technological Acceptance Index (TAI), and T-test and qualitative analyses includes thematic analysis, word clouds, tree maps, and sensitivity maps in pursuit of three primary objectives: (1) general attitude toward AI adoption, (2) gender, institution type, and level of study differences, and (3) factors driving these attitudes.  The findings reveal that students show moderate-to-high acceptance (92% moderate, 40% high), driven by perceived ease of use (0.73 index value) and functional benefits like grammar correction and instant feedback. In contrast, teachers show lower acceptance (55.56% low, 2.78% high), mainly due to ethical issues, such as plagiarism and reduced critical thinking. The result also reveals gender differences, with female students more open but wary of risks, and institutional divisions, with public university students valuing institutional support and private university students AI utility. Qualitative findings emphasize the primacy of teacher influence, technology access, and training on attitudes, with students in a neutral, evaluative stage and teachers mostly skeptical. Suggestions range from the need for definitive institutional policies regarding the ethical use of AI to specialized training for teachers and students, and investment in infrastructure for equitable access.  Additionally, fostering gender-inclusive support and the integration of AI into curricula alongside critical examination of its limitations are also suggested for even implementation. This study contributes to the growing discourse on AI in education, offering actionable insights for policymakers and educators to harness AI’s potential while mitigating its risks in language learning contexts. 

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