Research Student Profiles

Mr GUO, Kai

Language and Literacy Education

Programme of Study: PhD

Field of Study: Technology-enhanced Language Learning

Email Address: kaiguo@connect.hku.hk

Office: Room 668, Meng Wah Complex


About Me:
Kai Guo has completed his PhD project and has been awarded the Dissertation Year Fellowship by The University of Hong Kong, which began in June 2024 and will end in May 2025. His research interests include technology-enhanced language learning, computer-supported collaborative learning, artificial intelligence in education, and digital gamification in education. He has published over 20 SSCI Q1 journal articles in respected journals such as Computers & Education, The Internet and Higher Education, Interactive Learning Environments, Education and Information Technologies, Language Learning & Technology, System, TESOL Quarterly, Assessing Writing, Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, RELC Journal, and Journal of Educational Computing Research.

For more information, please see:
- Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=IxDwG28AAAAJ
- ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kai-Guo-4
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9699-7527


Current Research:
Kai is passionate about the design and development of language teaching and learning technologies. To date, his active participation has contributed to the creation of four such technologies:

- EvaluMate: An AI-supported platform for argumentative writing and peer review; see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2024.100864
- Argumate: A chatbot-assisted online platform for argumentative writing; see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2022.100666
- ReadMate: An AI-assisted gamified learning platform for self-regulated reading; see https://doi.org/10.1177/00336882241264030
- Argument Arena: A gamified online platform for collaborative learning of argumentative writing; see https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2024.2374347

At present, his research efforts are primarily focused on these technologies and their potential applications within the realm of language education.


Primary Supervisor: Professor LI, Yongyan

Co-supervisor(s): Dr CHU, Samuel K W


Research Outputs:
Woo, D. J., Guo, K., & Salas‐Pilco, S. Z. (2024). Writing creative stories with AI: Learning designs for secondary school students. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching. DOI: [10.1080/17501229.2024.2384884]

Pan, M., Guo, K., & Lai, C. (2024). Using artificial intelligence chatbots to support English-as-a-foreign language students’ self-regulated reading. RELC Journal. DOI: [10.1177/00336882241264030]

Guo, K., Pan, M., Li, Y., & Lai, C. (2024). Effects of an AI-supported approach to peer feedback on university EFL students’ feedback quality and writing ability. The Internet and Higher Education. DOI: [10.1016/j.iheduc.2024.100962]

Guo, K., Zhong, Y., Qin, J., & Chu, S. K. W. (2024). Investigating EFL teachers’ lesson planning for chatbot-assisted learning of argumentative writing: A TPACK perspective. Interactive Learning Environments. DOI: [10.1080/10494820.2024.2372646]

Guo, K., Li, Y., & Chu, S. K. W. (2024). Game on: Enhancing argumentative writing with digital gamification. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching. DOI: [10.1080/17501229.2024.2374347]

Woo, D. J., Guo, K., & Susanto, H. (2024). Exploring EFL students’ prompt engineering in human-AI story writing: An activity theory perspective. Interactive Learning Environments. DOI: [10.1080/10494820.2024.2361381]

Woo, D. J., Wang, D., Guo, K., & Susanto, H. (2024). Teaching EFL students to write with ChatGPT: Students' motivation to learn, cognitive load, and satisfaction with the learning process. Education and Information Technologies. DOI: [10.1007/s10639-024-12819-4]

Guo, K., & Li, D. (2024). Understanding EFL students’ use of self-made AI chatbots as personalized writing assistance tools: A mixed methods study. System. DOI: [10.1016/j.system.2024.103362]

Guo, K. (2024). EvaluMate: Using AI to support students’ feedback provision in peer assessment for writing. Assessing Writing, 61. DOI: [10.1016/j.asw.2024.100864]

Woo, D. J., Susanto, H., Yeung, C. H., Guo, K., & Fung, A. K. Y. (2024). Exploring AI-generated text in student writing: How does AI help?. Language Learning & Technology, 28(2), 183-209.

Li, Y., Guo, K., & Jin, T. (2024). Semantic analyses of three lexical items meaning “plagiarism” in The Database of Chinese Classic Ancient Books: A historical linguistic perspective [Chinese]. Modern Linguistics, 12(5), 319-331. DOI: [10.12677/ml.2024.125364]

Woo, D. J., Wang, D., & Guo, K. (2024, May). Learning EFL writing with ChatGPT: Secondary school students’ motivation to learn, cognitive load, and satisfaction with the learning process. Presentation at Centre for Information Technology in Education Research Symposium (CITERS) 2024. Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong.

Fang, X., Guo, K., & Ng, D. T. K. (2024). Sudowrite: Co-writing creative stories with artificial intelligence. RELC Journal, 1-5. DOI: [10.1177/00336882241250109]

Zhong, Y., Guo, K., & Chu, S. K. W. (2024). Affordances and constraints of integrating esports into higher education from the perspectives of students and teachers: An ecological systems approach. Education and Information Technologies, 1-35. DOI: [10.1007/s10639-024-12482-9]

Guo, K., & Jin, Y. (2024). Evidence use in English argumentative writing: Research review and pedagogical implications [Chinese]. Chinese Journal of ESP, 33, 47-56.

Yin, S., Guo, K., & Li, D. (2024). To assign a topic or not: Examining critical thinking in English as a foreign language speaking. RELC Journal, 1-14. DOI: [10.1177/00336882231222651]

Guo, K., Li, Y., Li, Y., & Chu, S. K. W. (2023). Understanding EFL students’ chatbot-assisted argumentative writing: An activity theory perspective. Education and Information Technologies, 1-20. DOI: [10.1007/s10639-023-12230-5]

Guo, K., & Wang, D. (2023). To resist it or to embrace it? Examining ChatGPT’s potential to support teacher feedback in EFL writing. Education and Information Technologies, 1-29. DOI: [10.1007/s10639-023-12146-0]

Guo, Z., Liang, L., Guo, K., & Fryer, L. K., (2023, August). Interventions to enhance students’ STEM motivational outcomes: A systematic review. Presentation at the 27th Annual JURE Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction. Thessaloniki, The European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction.

Wang, D., Shan, D., Zheng, Y., Guo, K., Chen, G., & Lu, Y. (2023, 7). Can ChatGPT detect student talk moves in classroom discourse? A preliminary comparison with Bert. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Educational Data Mining, Bengaluru, India.

Guo, K., Zhong, Y., Zainuddin, Z., & Chu, S. K. W. (2023). Applying game‐related methods in the writing classroom: A scoping review. Education and Information Technologies. DOI: [10.1007/s10639-023-11998-w]

Guo, K., Zhong, Y., Li, D., & Chu, S. K. W. (2023). Effects of chatbot-assisted in-class debates on students’ argumentation skills and task motivation. Computers & Education. DOI: [10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104862]

Su, J., Guo, K., Chen, X., & Chu, S. K. W. (2023). Teaching artificial intelligence in K–12 classrooms: A scoping review. Interactive Learning Environments, 1-20. DOI: [10.1080/10494820.2023.2212706]

Guo, K., Zhong, Y., Li, D., & Chu, S. K. W. (2023). Investigating students’ engagement in chatbot-supported classroom debates. Interactive Learning Environments, 1-17. DOI: [10.1080/10494820.2023.2207181]

Woo, D. J., & Guo, K. (2023, May). Exploring EFL students’ prompt engineering in human-AI story writing: An activity theory perspective. Presentation at Centre for Information Technology in Education Research Symposium (CITERS) 2023. Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong.

Woo, D. J., Wang, Y., Susanto, H., & Guo, K. (2023). Understanding English as a foreign language students’ idea generation strategies for creative writing with natural language generation tools. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 1-19. DOI: [10.1177/07356331231175999]

Woo, D. J., Susanto, H., Wang, Y., & Guo, K. (2023, May). Natural language generation in student writing: Language features, strategies and links to successful writing. Presentation at 2023 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting. Chicago, American Educational Research Association.

Susanto, H., Woo, D. J., & Guo, K. (2023). The role of AI in human-AI creative writing for Hong Kong secondary students. International Council of Teachers of English (ICTE) Newsletter, 3, 7-10. https://www.icte-educators.org/_files/ugd/944bfa_c2ed8e5db3c844019f1797ad60555488.pdf

Guo, K., Chen, X., & Qiao, S. (2022). Exploring a collaborative approach to peer feedback in EFL writing: How do students participate?. RELC Journal. DOI: [10.1177/00336882221143192]

Zhong, Y., Guo, K., Su, J., & Chu, S. K. W. (2022). The impact of esports participation on the development of 21st century skills in youth: A systematic review. Computers & Education. DOI: [10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104640]

Guo, K., Wang, J., & Chu, S. K. W. (2022). Using chatbots to scaffold EFL students’ argumentative writing. Assessing Writing, 54. DOI: [10.1016/j.asw.2022.100666]

Guo, K., Chen, J., Lei, J., & Jin, T. (2021). Teacher engagement with technology-enhanced text adaptation: A case study. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 11(4), 100-112. DOI: [10.4018/IJCALLT.2021100107]

Jin, T., Lu, X., Guo, K., Li, B., Liu, F., Deng, Y., Wu, J., & Chen, G. (2021). Eng-Editor: An online English text evaluation and adaptation system. Guangzhou: LanguageData (languagedata.net/tester).

Note: Eng-Editor (英语阅读分级指难针) is an online text evaluation and adaptation system that matches English reading texts to specific proficiency levels specified in the China’s Standards of English Language Ability (2018) and that annotates texts with a number of lexical and syntactic features to inform text adaptation. The system references vocabulary lists from the Chinese EFL curriculum standards and employs the L2 Syntactic Complexity Analyzer for syntactic complexity analysis. A corpus of 3,895 text samples representing a range of Chinese EFL learners’ proficiency levels is used to provide benchmarks for text complexity evaluation and lexical and syntactic annotation.

Jin, T., Duan, H., Lu, X., Ni, J., & Guo, K. (2021). Do research articles with more readable abstracts receive higher online attention? Evidence from Science. Scientometrics, 126(10), 8471-8490. DOI: [10.1007/s11192-021-04112-9]

Qiu, D., Guo, K., & Jin, T. (2021). Research and practice of teachers’ data literacy: International experience and enlightenment [Chinese]. Journal of Teacher Education, 8(3), 31-39.

Guo, K., Gu, M., & Jin, T. (2021). Evaluating sources of evidence for argumentative writing: A collaborative learning design. TESOL Quarterly, 55(3), 1060-1070. DOI: [10.1002/tesq.3025]

Chen, J., Chen, J., & Guo, K. (2021). Investigating student engagement in a blended academic English writing classroom [Chinese]. Foreign Language World, (1), 28-36.

Guo, K., Chen, J., Lei, J., & Jin, T. (2020). Technology support for text adaptation of English reading materials: A survey of teacher intention [Chinese]. Foreign Language Testing and Teaching, (3), 29-37+47.

Bo, W., Chen, J., Guo, K., & Jin, T. (2019). Data-driven adapting for fine-tuning Chinese teaching materials: Using corpora as benchmarks. In Lu, X., & Chen, B.(Eds.), Computational and corpus approaches to Chinese language learning. (pp99-118). Singapore: Springer.

Guo, K., Jin, T., & Lu, X. (2018). Research and practice in text adaptation: From readability formulas and multidimensional analyses to data-driven adaptations [Chinese]. Foreign Language Testing and Teaching, (3), 35-43.

Guo, K., & Xu, L. (2017). Using model speeches of successful learners to learn vocabulary: A corpus-based study. In Guo, S., Li, X., & Fang, Y.(Eds.), Language education and language technology. (pp179-194). Shanghai: Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press.

Jin, T., Guo, K., Mak, B., & Wu, Q. (2017). Lexical profiles of reading texts in high-stakes tests: Where are the benchmarks?. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, 7(1), 34-49.

Jin, T., Liu, L., & Guo, K. (2016). Rating scales for speaking tests: What the past 30 years of development tells us [Chinese]. Modern Foreign Languages, 39(6), 853-862.

Guo, K., & Jin, T. (2015). Review of the book Exploring language assessment and testing: Language in action by Anthony Green (Routledge, 2014) [Chinese]. Contemporary Foreign Language Studies, (2), 74-76.


Awards and Prizes:
HKU Foundation Publication Award for Research Postgraduate Students, awarded by Graduate School, The University of Hong Kong, 2024.
Dissertation Year Fellowship, awarded by Graduate School, The University of Hong Kong, 2024-25.
Research Postgraduate Student Publication Award, awarded by Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, 2024.
Research Postgraduate Student Innovation Award, awarded by Graduate School, The University of Hong Kong, 2023.
University Postgraduate Fellowship, awarded by The University of Hong Kong, 2020-24.
Postgraduate Scholarship, awarded by The University of Hong Kong, 2020-24.
China National Scholarship (Postgraduate), awarded by China Ministry of Education, 2017-18.
China National Scholarship (Undergraduate), awarded by China Ministry of Education, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.