This study examines the implementation of AI-enhanced thematic teaching in a Chinese Film History course within the framework of the New Liberal Arts in China. In response to the growing demand for pedagogical innovation in humanities education, it explores how the integration of artificial intelligence into thematic teaching shapes students’ perceived learning experience. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study collected data from 171 undergraduate students through a questionnaire consisting of 22 closed-ended Likert-scale items and three open-ended questions. The quantitative findings show that students generally held positive evaluations of AI-enhanced thematic teaching. Among the five measured dimensions, AI-assisted learning and overall evaluation received the highest mean scores, followed by learning gains and thematic teaching design, while classroom participation showed comparatively lower, though still positive, evaluations. These results suggest that AI was perceived as particularly effective in facilitating information retrieval, improving content understanding, and supporting idea generation. The qualitative findings further reveal a nuanced pattern of student perceptions. While many students valued the efficiency, accessibility, and learning support enabled by AI, some also expressed concern about over-reliance and the possible weakening of independent thinking. These responses suggest that the educational value of AI depends not only on its functional affordances but also on how it is pedagogically integrated into classroom practice. Overall, this study provides empirical, student-centered evidence that AI-enhanced thematic teaching can support more interactive and student-centered learning in humanities education. It further highlights the importance of instructional design and critical guidance in ensuring that AI functions as a scaffold for inquiry rather than a substitute for thinking within the New Liberal Arts framework.
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