Enhancing Pre-Service Teachers' Global Englishes Awareness with Technology: A Focus on AI Chatbots in 3D Metaverse Environments

Although Global Englishes (GE) research continues to grow in English language teaching (ELT), the role of technology in enhancing GE awareness remains underexplored. Addressing this gap, the study investigates the potential of English as a lingua franca (ELF) interactions with artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in raising GE awareness. Using a quasi-experimental design, 97 South Korean pre-service English teachers were divided into a control group (CG, n = 32) and two experimental groups (EG1, n = 31; EG2, n = 34) for 16-week teacher-training courses. The CG received no GE instruction, while EG1 conducted a presentation task and EG2 interacted with AI chatbots in 3D metaverse environments. We used a mixed-methods approach of pre- and post-test surveys and interviews. ANCOVA results for survey data showed that both tasks had positive effects on all facets of GE awareness (e.g., acceptance of one's local English, acceptance of other Englishes, native-speakerism, ELF confidence and intention, and willingness to incorporate GELT into teaching), with the AI chatbot task exerting a stronger effect on ELF confidence and intention. For practical implications, the findings outlined pedagogical strategies for integrating GELT into computer-assisted (CA) language learning. Theoretically, we proposed the CA-GELT approach for future research in the era of generative AI technology.