ISSN: 2782-893X
eISSN: 2799-0664
ISSN: 2782- 893X
—— This study explored the experiences of Second Year BSED English students at Ave Maria College with Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration in a flipped classroom, examining its influence on accessibility, comprehension, engagement, preparedness, collaboration, and emerging challenges. Using qualitative data from interviews, classroom observations, document analysis, and reflective activities, the research investigated how AI functions as a scaffold for selfdirected and socially mediated learning while revealing cognitive, ethical, and affective dimensions of technology use. Findings indicate that students perceive AI as an accessible, non-judgmental learning support that provides instant explanations and adaptive examples, fostering autonomy and selfpaced knowledge construction. AI served as a teacher-like cognitive scaffold, simplifying complex concepts through stepwise explanations, analogies, and multimodal representations that supported deeper understanding and reflection. In the flipped classroom, AI encouraged active engagement by guiding reasoning, offering alternative solution paths, and linking new information to prior knowledge. AI-mediated pre-class preparation enhanced confidence, readiness, and participation, while structuring peer collaboration to promote inclusivity and balanced contribution. However, challenges included over-reliance, ethical and privacy concerns, and varied engagement due to differences in digital literacy and confidence. These findings suggest that AI scaffolding is beneficial only when implemented thoughtfully. The study extends Sociocultural Theory by positioning AI as a mediational tool within the Zone of Proximal Development and refines constructivist perspectives by emphasizing learner agency, digital competence, and instructional design in shaping outcomes. Keywords: AI integration, flipped classroom, student experiences, personalized learning, active engagement