Students' preferences in English writing tutorial and feedback comparing AI and human instructors

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been increasingly applied in education as a practical writing tool, offering students’ interest through instant tutorials and feedback through AI-based writing tools, such as grammar checkers, style analyzers, and content generators, so they can improve the quality of their writing more efficiently. However, many students still prefer human instructors due to the need for human interaction, personal attention, and pedagogical care. This study aimed to investigate whether students prefer AI or human instructors in English writing tutorials and feedback, and the reasons behind their preference. This study applied a qualitative approach with a descriptive research design, using questionnaire and interview. The findings of this study showed that in writing tutorials, students most preferred human instructors for facilitating collaborative dialogue, creating a non-judgmental space, and fostering writer independence. In writing feedback, students most preferred human instructors, reaching complete preferences for both treatable and untreatable feedback, as well as dominant preferences for feedback quality and direct feedback. Exceeding AI in these categories. The study also revealed that the students preferred teachers for cognitive clarity, detailed explanations, and emotional support. Therefore, the student preferred AI due to its accessibility and speed, and a low-pressure environment for brainstorming and correcting technical errors. In sum, collaboration between AI and human instructors in writing tutorials and feedback resulted in a positive effect, allowing students to use AI for brainstorming while fostering deep writing learning and confidence through human interaction.