Doctoral Candidate Brochure: Yazid Allahim
Doctoral Dissertation Defense
of
Yazid Allahim
For the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy, Curriculum and Instruction
EXPERIENCES OF EFL INSTRUCTORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TABUK WITH AI-GENERATED FEEDBACK THEY ENCOUNTER ON STUDENT ACADEMIC WRITING
June 12, 2026
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Microsoft Teams Meeting:
Experiences of EFL Instructors at the University of Tabuk with AI-Generated Feedback They Encounter on Student Academic Writing
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of EFL writing instructors at the University of Tabuk’s Language Institute with AI-generated feedback they encounter on student academic writing. Guided by Teacher Cognition (Borg, 2003, 2006, 2015) as the primary theoretical framework, with TPACK (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) and CALL as complementary lenses, the study employed a basic interpretive qualitative design.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight EFL instructors representing six nationalities, and data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis. In vivo coding supplemented by descriptive coding (Saldaña, 2021) generated 153 codes organized into five themes: (a) Encountering AI Through Student Writing, (b) Interpreting and Evaluating AI Feedback, (c) Mediating AI Feedback for Students, (d) Navigating the Tension Between AI’s Potential and the Learning Process, and (e) Evolving Beliefs About AI in Writing Instruction.
The central finding was that instructors did not simply adopt or reject AI but navigated continuously between its benefits and the risks it posed to writing instruction. Teachers served as essential mediators between AI output and student learning, translating, simplifying, and filtering feedback based on professional knowledge. Their beliefs evolved from initial skepticism toward cautious acceptance, shaped by classroom experience rather than formal training.
The findings carry implications for EFL instructors, teacher preparation programs, institutional policy, and AI tool development, highlighting the need for professional development that strengthens teacher judgment rather than replacing it.
About the Candidate
Yazid Allahim
M.A., Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL),
Long Island University - Post, 2017
B.A., Languages and Translation - English Language,
University of Tabuk, 2014
Yazid began his teaching career in 2017 as a lecturer at Al-Ghad College for Applied Medical Sciences, where he taught English for Medical Purposes and medical terminology for two years. Since 2019, he has served as an English Language Instructor at the English Language Institute, University of Tabuk, where he teaches the full range of English language courses for first-year university students including academic writing, speaking, and listening and teaches English for Specific Purposes courses across multiple disciplines, including medical, administrative, and engineering English. Yazid has participated in several conferences and professional events, including the International Education Conference in Riyadh and the Ohio Educational Technology Conference (OETC). He has also delivered workshops on AI in education for public school teachers through programs organized by the Saudi Ministry of Education.
Doctoral Dissertation Committee
Director
William Bintz, Ph.D.
Professor
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
College of Education, Health and Human Services
Member
Enrico Gandolfi, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
College of Education, Health, and Human Services
Outside Program Area
Ryan Miller, Ph.D.
Professor
TESL
Department of English
Graduate Faculty Representative
Scott Courtney, Ph.D.
Director and Associate Professor
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
College of Education, Health and Human Services