Hussein Yasir Aswad, Omar Raoof Abbood & Sabaa Makki Jaber,
Department of English Language, Faculty of Education for Human Sciences,
Al-Muthanna University, Iraq
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and immersive media into higher education has generated renewed debate about their role in humanities pedagogy, particularly in the teaching of English literature. While digital tools offer new analytical and experiential affordances, empirical evidence on how they shape literary interpretation, engagement, and critical thinking remains limited. This study investigates how AI-assisted tools and immersive media contribute to the development of literary intelligence, defined as a hybrid interpretive capacity combining human judgment with machine-supported textual analysis. Using a qualitative, comparative research design, data were collected from three undergraduate literature courses in European and Middle Eastern universities through semi-structured interviews with students (n = 9) and instructors (n = 8), classroom observations, and AI-assisted analysis of student writing. Thematic analysis, supported by frequency-based coding, indicates that all student participants reported increased engagement, while the majority identified enhanced interpretive depth, critical reflection, and emotional involvement when digital tools complemented traditional close reading. At the same time, both students and instructors expressed concerns regarding overreliance on AI, ethical responsibility, and unequal access to technology. The findings suggest that AI and immersive media, when pedagogically scaffolded, extend rather than replace literary interpretation. This study contributes to applied linguistics and literary pedagogy by offering empirically grounded evidence for hybrid, human-centered models of digitally assisted literature instruction.
Keywords: Literary Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence in Education, Immersive Media, Digital Pedagogy, English Literature Teaching, Qualitative Study
The above abstract is a part of the article which was accepted at The 11th International Conference on Languages, Linguistics, Translation and Literature (WWW.TLLL.IR), 1-2 February 2026, Ahwaz.
