Positive Emotional Experiences of International Chinese Language Teachers Using Generative AI: A Case Study

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-593-5_32How to use a DOI?

Keywords

International Chinese Language Teachers; positive emotional experiences; generative AI; teacher emotion; qualitative case study

Abstract

As generative AI becomes increasingly integrated into language teaching, understanding teachers’ emotional experiences is critical for supporting effective adoption and professional growth. This qualitative multiple-case study investigated the positive emotions of five International Chinese Language Teachers in their use of generative AI for lesson preparation and assessment. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, the study found that positive emotions emerged as a dynamic, phase-based process spanning before, during, and after AI use. Pre-use tensions formed an important backdrop that intensified later positive emotional responses. Emotional turning points reflected shifts in teachers’ appraisals of control and value, while positive emotions contributed to professional growth through three pathways: efficiency gain and cognitive release, competence confirmation and confidence building, and role evolution and identity negotiation. Teachers’ accounts also suggested key design priorities for AI tools, including operational reliability, pedagogical quality and contextual fit, and customizable interaction. These findings offer implications for teacher education, AI design, and institutional support in technology-integrated teaching contexts.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Liya Wei
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/30
TI  - Positive Emotional Experiences of International Chinese Language Teachers Using Generative AI: A Case Study
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 5th International Conference on Humanities, Wisdom Education and Service Management (HWESM 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 278
EP  - 294
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-593-5_32
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-593-5_32
ID  - Wei2026
ER  -