Daniel Kennedy
There has been a rapid increase in the accessibility and usage of artificial intelligence in recent years, rendering most industries adopters of this emerging technology. Despite this increase in the use of AI, there is limited research concerning how the use of AI for academic purposes may influence university students’ academic self-efficacy and environmental identity. This study featured 58 IADT students from the Applied Psychology and Creative Computing courses. Although no statistically significant effects were found, the results of this study undoubtedly add to the growing body of research concerning the use of AI amongst university students and its influence academic self-efficacy and environmental identity.
This study aimed to investigate differences in academic self-efficacy and environmental identity in Applied Psychology and Creative Computing students in IADT who had used AI for academic purposes. The study was guided by Social Cognitive Theory and posed three hypotheses; that there would be a relationship between academic self-efficacy and environmental identity in students, that there would be a significant difference in academic self-efficacy between Applied Psychology and Creative Computing students, and that there would be a significant difference in environmental identity between Applied Psychology and Creative Computing students. The study had initially posed a fourth hypothesis, that there would be a multivariate difference in academic self-efficacy and environmental identity between students across both courses. However, preliminary assumption testing revealed the academic self-efficacy and environmental identity to be insufficiently correlated, the fourth hypothesis was then excluded from the study.
This study investigated differences in academic self-efficacy and environmental identity in Applied Psychology and Creative Computing students. The findings revealed no statistically significant difference for students' academic self-efficacy, or environmental identity, based on students' course, Applied Psychology and Creative Computing. Additionally, the findings also revealed no statistically significant relationship between academic self-efficacy and environmental identity. The results indicate that students who had used AI for academic purposes, regardless of course, reported high in both academic self-efficacy and environmental identity. These findings confirm previous research suggesting the use of AI for academic purposes positively influences academic self-efficacy, and that students’ course is reflective of their environmental identity rather than a determining factor. The findings of this study contribute to the under researched body of information regarding how students' use of AI for academic purposes may influence their academic self-efficacy and environmental identity. This study suggests increased education for students on the impact of using AI for academic purposes, pertaining to both the potentially diminished level of critical thinking due to the use of AI and the environmental impact of AI.
My name is Daniel Kennedy, and I am a fourth year Applied Psychology student. I have been very fortunate during my studies in IADT, having travelled to Tallinn University in Estonia to study forensic psychology for a week, experienced volunteering with a youth organisation during the placement module, researched many diverse areas of psychology, and developed my skills in research and statistics. Through this unique blend of fulfilling opportunities, I have been inspired to pursue a career in helping others in the future, and I have garnered a particular interest in neuroscience and environmental psychology.
