Researcher(s)
- Abena Opare, Neuroscience, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Vinayak Mathur, Biology, University of Delaware
Abstract
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Notion AI are becoming increasingly common resources for college students completing research and writing assignments. These technologies can help students locate information, generate ideas, organize their thinking, and summarize complex material. As AI becomes more integrated into higher education, important questions remain about how it influences learning, cognitive engagement, and students’ awareness of their own thinking and learning processes.
This study examines student reflections from AI-supported and non-AI-supported biology writing assignments to explore how AI may influence the way students learn. Students reflected on their experiences completing both types of assignments, including how AI affected their research process, engagement with the material, emotional responses, and confidence in their work. Looking at these reflections side by side offers a closer look at what students gain, what they struggle with, and how AI changes the experience of learning rather than just the final product.
As AI becomes a regular part of college classrooms, the question is no longer whether students will use it, but how it is shaping the way they think about their own learning. By looking at these experiences through the lens of metacognition, this study asks a broader question: If AI can support the learning process, how do we make sure it also encourages students to think deeply, stay engaged, and continue developing the skills they need to learn on their own?