Leveraging artificial intelligence as a Vygotskian tool to enhance Filipino university students’ language learning and critical thinking skills

Drawing on Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, this study investigated how artificial intelligence (AI) functions as a "more knowledgeable other" in enhancing language proficiency and critical thinking skills. Employing a within-subjects quasi-experimental repeated-measures design, 175 Filipino university freshmen participated in five sequential Contextual Writing Assignments (CWAs) integrated with ChatGPT feedback. Results revealed statistically significant improvements in both English language proficiency and critical thinking skills over time (P < 0.05). The AI provided adaptive scaffolding within the students’ Zone of Proximal Development, creating a psychologically safe environment that lowered affective barriers and reduced the fear of making mistakes. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was found between linguistic gains and analytical competencies. The study concludes that pedagogically structured AI integration—utilizing a draft-feedback-reflection-revision cycle—fosters an inclusive environment and empowers students to become independent and critical thinkers. This research provides an evidence-based model for leveraging generative AI to bridge the gap between workforce demands and graduate skills.