The Impact of AI-Assisted Lesson Planning on EFL Teachers’ Efficiency and Creativity in General English Courses: A Case Study at University of Zawia Language Centre

Abstract

This study is titled ‘The Impact of AI-Assisted Lesson Planning on EFL Teachers’ Efficiency and Creativity in General English Courses: A Case Study at University of Zawia Language Centre’. It addresses the limited empirical evidence on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in lesson planning within Libyan higher education, despite the growing global reliance on AI tools in EFL instruction. The study aims to investigate how AI-assisted lesson planning influences EFL teachers’ efficiency, lesson quality, and creativity, while also exploring the challenges and ethical concerns teachers encounter in integrating AI into their professional practice. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was used, combining quantitative data from a questionnaire completed by 15 teachers with qualitative insights from semi-structured interviews with eight participants. The findings indicate that AI tools, particularly generative systems such as ChatGPT, enhance teachers’ planning efficiency by reducing preparation time, supporting material organization, and stimulating creative activity design. However, teachers also reported concerns related to accuracy, cultural appropriateness, and insufficient institutional AI training. Based on these findings, the study recommends providing structured AI literacy training, developing clear institutional guidelines for responsible AI use, and encouraging context-sensitive adaptation of AI-generated materials.