Use of Artificial Intelligence in Education with its Impact on Critical Thinking among university students: A Qualitative Approach

Abstract

AI is being integrated into the educational system and is rapidly transforming it. While it claims to promote learning, its ease of use may also lead to cognitive offloading and reduced independent thought (Carr, 2011). Despite its rapid adoption, very little is known about how students are using AI for academic purposes and its influence on their critical thinking. This research aims to examine how university students use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in their academic work and to explore their perceptions of AI’s influence on critical thinking skills. This research uses a qualitative design. Data was gathered using focus group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured interviews with 10 undergraduate psychology students (n=10, age = 18 to 20) enrolled at private universities in the area of Vile Parla, Mumbai, India. Specifically, the students who used AI tools daily for academic purposes. Data was then analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reported that the students used and appreciated AI technology because of its speed and efficiency, but they were concerned about its reliability and trustworthiness as well as its potential impact on their own critical thinking. This study provides evidence on AI use and critical thinking from and under represented Indian population, addressing a gap in the literature dominated by Western-centred quantitative studies. Future research needs to acknowledge the longitudinal aspect of the findings presented here; specifically, to identify whether the cognitive and identity changes that students reported are lasting or transitory, and to include research on the same themes from different disciplinary, institutional, and national contexts. Research using mixed-methods designs that include qualitative accounts from students along with pre- and post-measurements of critical thinking performance would also be highly valuable for the education community