When lecturers use GenAI: How EFL learners view lesson planning and materials development

This explanatory mixed-methods study examined how EFL learners perceive lecturers’ use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in lesson planning and instructional materials design within CALL environments. Data were collected from 410 undergraduate students in Thailand and Indonesia using a 29-item Likert-scale survey measuring learning value, engagement, and ethical concerns, along with attitudinal indicators of transparency and lecturer responsibility, and three open-ended questions. Quantitative analyses (descriptive statistics, correlations, ANOVA, and exploratory regression) showed that learners generally perceived GenAI-supported materials as useful and engaging, while also expressing strong ethical concerns about accuracy, fairness, and over-reliance. Learners with higher self-reported English proficiency and technology literacy reported greater learning value and engagement, whereas less prepared learners relied more heavily on teacher mediation. Qualitative findings indicated that students valued the clarity and structure of GenAI-supported materials but were concerned about generic output, misinformation, and depersonalization, and consistently emphasized the need for lecturer verification and transparency. Integration of both strands suggests that learner readiness shapes the extent to which students derive benefit from GenAI-mediated materials, while expectations for human oversight remain consistent across learner profiles. Unlike most studies that examine GenAI as a learner-operated tool, this study shifts attention toward GenAI as an instructional design resource used by lecturers and demonstrates how learners evaluate GenAI-mediated pedagogical decisions in EFL higher education.