AI Literacy, Trust, and Dependency
Excellent Educator, Volume: 3, Issue: 3, Page: 7
Summary
Academic Insights
This quantitative study examines relationships among AI literacy, trust, dependency, and 21st-century skills in 469 preservice mathematics teachers. Results show that higher AI literacy and trust are associated with increased AI dependency. This dependency negatively relates to problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and self-confidence. The study highlights the need for balanced AI integration that supports independent reasoning.
Apply These Now
Encourage independent attempts before AI use.
Frame AI as support, not replacement.
Add These in Your Lesson
Ask learners to critique AI-generated answers.
Use errors to deepen reasoning.
Avoid These Mistakes
Interpreting frequent AI use as learning progress.
Ignoring dependency risks.
Keywords
AI literacy; AI dependency; Teacher education; Critical thinking; 21st-century skills
Source/Citation
Zhang, D., TanuWijaya, T., Wang, Y., Su, M., Li, X., & Damayanti, N. W. (2025). Exploring the relationship between AI literacy, AI trust, AI dependency, and 21st century skills in preservice mathematics teachers. Scientific Reports, 15, 14281. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99127-0
Excellent Educator. (2026). AI Literacy, Trust, and Dependency. Excellent Educator, 3(3), 7.