From traditional feedback literacy to AI feedback literacy: the mediating role of AI acceptance

Unique affordances of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) have attracted considerable attention in educational activities, particularly in feedback practices, and naturally arose the necessity for distinct feedback literacy that students need to develop for effective engagement with AI-generated feedback. To test hypotheses regarding the relationships among student feedback literacy, GenAI feedback literacy, and GenAI acceptance, this study employed a correlational survey design. Data were collected from 690 English-major students through a form consisting of three scales: the Feedback Literacy Behavior Scale, GenAI Student Feedback Literacy Scale, and Generative Artificial Intelligence Acceptance Scale. Hayes’ PROCESS Macro Model 4 was used to examine the mediating role of AI acceptance. The results showed that student feedback literacy was positively and significantly correlated with cognitive, affective, behavioral, and ethical dimensions of AI feedback literacy. AI acceptance also significantly mediated these relationships across four dimensions. These findings provide evidence that AI feedback literacy should be considered a contextualized form of student feedback literacy. Furthermore, students’ acceptance of AI is also associated with how effectively they engage with AI-generated feedback.