AI on Students’ Critical Thinking

Academic Insights

This case study from Albania investigated possible risks of AI-assisted learning for students’ critical thinking and problem-solving. The results found no significant difference in critical thinking between students with prior AI exposure and those without, but there was a significant negative relationship between heavy reliance on AI for assignments and students’ problem-solving ability. At the same time, frequent AI use was positively linked to perceived academic performance and assignment efficiency. This creates an important tension: AI can help students work faster and feel more effective, yet overdependence may weaken independent cognitive effort. The central message is that AI should support learning, not replace the thinking that learning is meant to develop.

Apply This Now
Use AI as a support tool, but require students to explain, justify, and extend the output themselves.

Add This in Your Lesson
Ask students to critique an AI-generated response and then solve the task in their own words.

Avoid This Mistake
Do not reward only quick completion, because efficiency can hide weak independent thinking.

Keywords
AI-assisted learning, critical thinking, problem solving, student dependence, educational technology