Examining the Factors Affecting Vocational and Technical College Students' Acceptance of Automated Written Corrective Feedback: A TAM-Based Quasi-Experimental Approach

Abstract

The quasi-experimental study investigates the acceptance and effects of the Automated Written Corrective Feedback (AWCF) system iWrite among Chinese vocational and technical college students, applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The study included 112 students, who were categorized into an experimental group (n = 54) that utilized iWrite for writing feedback and revision and a control group (n = 58) that received traditional teacher-led feedback. Writing proficiency was measured by content, language use, and structure-based pre- and post-tests. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had statistically significant improvements in total writing scores. The results of the TAM-based survey showed a generally positive attitude toward iWrite, with Perceived Usefulness (PU) as the highest mean score. Struct → PU → AT → BI, with Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU)’s direct effect on BI no ural equation modeling confirmed critical pathways of the TA nsignificant, suggesting that PU, rather than PEOU, M: PEOU predominantly influences acceptance in this educational setting. This study supports the pedagogical efficacy of the iWrite system and contributes methodologically by developing and validating a modified TAM framework specifically designed for vocational and technical college students in China. The results provide a technical framework to upgrade AWCF systems to better meet the practical learning needs of this particular user group. Thus, the study advocates the judicious integration of AWCF systems into vocational and technical college English syllabuses, particularly in cases where the educational benefits are clear and aligned with the practical learning objectives of students.

Received: 9 February 2026 | Revised: 25 May 2026 | Accepted: 18 June 2026

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Figshare at https://figshare.com/s/78ad5d90995db17b3cde.

Author Contribution Statement

Xiaomin Deng: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Supyan Hussin: Validation, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration. Nur Ainil Sulaiman: Writing – review & editing, Supervision.