Eksplorasi Keterlibatan Siswa dalam Penggunaan Generative AI-Chatbot di Kelas Menulis Bahasa Inggris Sebagai Bahasa Asing (EFL): Studi Kasus di SMA Kristen Elim Makassar

AYU RESKI RONGRE. Exploring Student Engagement in Using a Generative AI-Chatbot in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Writing Classroom: A Case Study at SMA Kristen Elim Makassar (supervised by Abidin and Mulyani). Background. Generative AI-chatbot integration has reshaped EFL writing practices at SMA Kristen Elim Makassar. However, students’ perception and its impact on the balance of student engagement remain underexplored. Aim. This research explores student engagement based on Fredricks, Blumenfeld, and Paris’s (2004) theory, encompassing behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions, and analyses the emergence of an "engagement gap". Method. This qualitative case study involved 58 students in grade X (tenth) and one English teacher, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through observations, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, audio recordings, and documentation media (prompt logs and students’ writing tasks). Data were analysed using the Interactive Model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana (2014). Result. Findings indicate strong behavioral and emotional engagement, as students were active, enthusiastic, and confident, however, cognitive engagement remained low. Most students relied on generative AI-chatbot output without critical evaluation (surface engagement). This phenomenon reflects an engagement gap, where visible participation and positive emotions do not align with cognitive depth. Conclusion. Generative AI-chatbot integration does not automatically enhance overall student engagement; instead, it creates imbalances across engagement dimensions. To prevent superficial learning, its use should be supported by pedagogical strategies through the development of AI literacy to promote deeper learning.