"ÀS VEZES ELE ENTENDE, OUTRAS VEZES, NÃO": estratégias de aprendizes de línguas no uso do ChatGPT sob a ótica da Complexidade

Abstract

This master’s research, situated in the field of Applied Linguistics with an indisciplinary orientation (Moita Lopes, 2006), analyzes the strategies of additional language (AL) learners mediated by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). GenAI is understood as a category of artificial intelligence capable of autonomously generating new texts and images (Brizuela & Garrido, 2023). The study focused on the use of ChatGPT by learners of English, Spanish, and French from the Language and Literature programs at the Dom Delgado Campus (São Luís) of the Federal University of Maranhão. The general objective was to investigate how these learners specifically mobilize cognitive and social learning strategies when using ChatGPT, based on Oxford’s (1990) theoretical framework, as well as the impacts of this tool on the learning process. The research adopted the Paradigm of Complexity (Morin, 2005; 2015; Lorenz, 1975, among others) as its theoretical framework, with emphasis on the concepts of Complex Adaptive Systems (Larsen-Freeman, 1997; Larsen-Freeman & Cameron, 2008; Paiva, 2002; 2006), according to which AL learning is understood as a dynamic, non-linear, adaptive phenomenon influenced by multiple factors, including GenAI. Theoretical studies on AI were also considered (Russel & Norvig, 2013; Kaufman, 2021; Santaella, 2023, among others). This qualitative research, with ethnographic and exploratory characteristics, was based on responses to an open-ended semi-structured questionnaire applied to 20 learners. The results indicated that, due to the diverse profiles and actions of each learner, different learning strategies are mobilized. Among the most recurrent were note-taking strategies (cognitive) and asking ChatGPT for clarification (social). The analyses also showed that learners are fully aware of the technical and social limitations of using the platform for learning the studied languages. The conclusions indicate that, within the analyzed context, one of the impacts of using ChatGPT is related to the enhancement of learning and to the development of learners’ autonomy in managing the learning process of additional languages. This research makes a significant contribution to Applied Linguistics by discussing an emerging topic in language teaching and learning, marked by the continuous advancement of GenAI digital platforms inside and outside the classroom.