Unlocking the multifaceted power of self-regulated learning and generative AI in foreign language morphological skills

Abstract With the advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI), foreign language (FL) education has stepped into a transformative new era. Despite the widespread usage of generative AI, understanding the role of self-regulation in micro-level language skills within generative AI-enhanced learning environments is inadequate. To address this gap, drawn on self-regulated learning (SRL) theory, this study explores how mobile self-regulated learning (MSRL) affects FL learners’ generative AI awareness (optimism and dependence) and morphological skills (discrimination, interpretation, and recognition) among 614 English FL learners. The results of path analysis based on partial least squares reveal that MSRL is positively associated with both dimensions of generative AI awareness and negatively associated with the three morphological skills. The mediation analysis results reveal that the dependence dimension of generative AI awareness significantly mediates the relationship between MSRL and morphological skills (interpretation and discrimination). Contrarily, optimism does not play a mediating role. This study extends SRL theory into micro-level language skills development in AI contexts and provides pedagogical implications for designing language instruction and learning platforms in the digital era.