Ethical Generative AI Integration in English for Academic Purposes within Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Study

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53761/xwb6h668

Keywords:

Generative AI (GenAI), English for Academic Purposes (EAP), Ethical dilemmas, Professional development, Digital literacy, AI integration in teaching, Higher education

Abstract

60% of higher education institutions worldwide reported that their faculty used generative artificial intelligence tools in teaching. However, fewer than 15% had implemented formal ethical guidelines. This issue underscores the importance of equipping English for Academic Purposes educators in higher education to utilise artificial intelligence effectively while maintaining academic integrity, transparency, and equity. This study addressed the lack of evidence from Global South contexts, the shortage of field-tested professional development models, and the limited integration of technical and ethical training. Guided by Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory and established ethical decision-making frameworks in educational technology, the study designed, implemented, and evaluated a GenAI-integrated Professional Development program that embeds ethical reasoning within a multicultural Global South institution. A convergent mixed-methods approach engaged 97 higher education educators in quantitative testing and 15 in qualitative interviews. Original instruments, including a Scenario Rubric, Artefact Rubric, and engagement index, measured pre- and post-program changes. Quantitative results showed significant gains in ethical awareness (d = 0.93) and digital andragogical competence, supported by high inter-rater reliability. Qualitative findings confirmed challenges such as plagiarism and student overreliance on artificial intelligence, and revealed an unexpected barrier: reconciling institutional policy gaps with personal ethical values. Recommendations include embedding artificial intelligence policy literacy into professional development, fostering peer-led communities of practice, and creating shared resources on artificial intelligence. The professional development model can be adapted for use in other contexts, and future research should investigate its scalability.

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Author Biographies

  • Wael Alharbi, Yanbu English Language and Foundation Year Institute, Saudi Arabia

    Wael Alharbi is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and Computer-Assisted Language Learning at the Yanbu English Language and Preparatory Year Institute, The Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. His research focuses on technology-enhanced language learning, digital pedagogy, and EFL education. He has published extensively in Scopus-indexed journals and actively contributes to CALL research. 

  • Shazia Hamid, University of South Carolina, The United States

    Shazia Hamid is a PhD Candidate and Research Assistant at the University of South Carolina, USA. Her research interests include second language acquisition, sociolinguistics, and educational technology. She has presented at international conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals, exploring innovative pedagogical approaches for language teaching and learning in diverse educational settings.

  • Saira Abbas, Yanbu English Language & Preparatory Year Institute, Saudi Arabia

    Saira Abbas is a Lecturer in the English Language Department at the Yanbu English Language & Preparatory Year Institute, Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. Her academic interests include EFL pedagogy, curriculum development, and language assessment. She actively engages in research on English language teaching methodologies and contributes to scholarly discussions in applied linguistics.

  • Zarrina Salieva, Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, Uzbekistan

     is an Associate Professor at the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages, Uzbekistan. Her research focuses on foreign language education, multilingualism, and intercultural communication. She has authored multiple publications in international journals and actively collaborates on linguistic and pedagogical projects. Her contributions extend to research platforms such as ResearchGate and Google Scholar. 

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Published

2026-02-25

Data Availability Statement

The data supporting this study’s findings are available and will be included in the full manuscript upon acceptance of the proposal. As this is a research proposal, datasets are not appended here but can be made available upon reasonable request, in compliance with ethical and institutional guidelines.

 

Issue

Online First

Section

Special Issue: Generative AI Ethical Landscapes

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Wael Alharbi, Shazia Hamid, Saira Abbas, Zarrina Salieva

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Ethical Generative AI Integration in English for Academic Purposes within Higher Education: A Mixed-Methods Study. (2026). Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice. https://doi.org/10.53761/xwb6h668