Generative AI as a writing scaffold: Use, perceptions, and writing quality among pre-service teachers in the Philippines

This study examined pre-service teachers' use of generative AI for academic writing and its effects on the technical and reflective dimensions of writing quality. Conducted at the University of Eastern Philippines – Pedro Rebadulla Memorial Campus (UEP-PRMC), the study involved 46 pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher education program. Guided by a digital literacy framework emphasizing critical evaluation, ethical awareness, and self-regulated use, the study addressed three questions: (1) To what extent and in what ways do pre-service teachers use generative AI for academic writing? (2) What benefits and risks do they perceive from AI-assisted writing? and (3) How does AI-assisted writing compare to non-AI writing in terms of technical quality and reflective depth? Data were collected through a structured survey (n = 46), complemented by interviews, focus group discussions, and written reflections. A comparative writing analysis was conducted with a purposively selected subsample (n = 12 drawn from the full survey sample of 46), each producing paired writing samples — one without AI and one with AI assistance — scored by two independent evaluators using an analytic rubric. Findings revealed a clear divergence between technical and reflective writing dimensions: AI-assisted samples scored significantly higher across technical criteria (clarity, organization, vocabulary use, and grammar), while improvements in reflective depth were modest and varied across writers. Participants used AI moderately and purposefully, most frequently through ChatGPT, for grammar correction, idea clarification, and structural organization. Perceived benefits included reduced writing anxiety, improved coherence, and faster drafting; concerns centered on misinformation risk, weakened personal voice, and overdependence. These findings highlight the need to integrate AI literacy into teacher education curricula, particularly regarding ethical use, verification practices, and the preservation of authentic professional voice.