Classroom Social Climate, AI Literacy, and Student Engagement in AI-Mediated English Learning: Linear and Configurational Perspectives

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into English language education has created complex learning environments where technological and human support intersect. This cross-sectional study examined associations among students’ perceived classroom social climate, self-reported AI literacy, and classroom engagement. Survey data from 570 EFL students at one university in eastern China who had used AI tools to support their English learning were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). SEM showed that classroom social climate and AI literacy were directly associated with engagement and indirectly associated with it through resilience and self-efficacy. The fsQCA revealed different combinations of classroom social climate, AI literacy, resilience, and self-efficacy associated with high and low engagement. Viewed through the lens of Self-Determination Theory, these findings highlight the joint relevance of supportive classroom environments and learner resources in AI-mediated English learning.