THE ROLE OF GENERATIVE AI IN DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING VS. ROTE LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

This paper discusses how generative AI tools can be used to develop critical thinking ability in undergraduate learners in the higher learning institutions in comparison to the effects of generative AI tools on critical thinking as opposed to rote learning. The fast adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in learning institutions has been seen to raise concerns regarding its capacity to transform the conventional learning paradigms, especially in the enhancement of active learning, cognitive flexibility, reflective thinking, and team learning. This study investigates how students perceive AI tools such as ChatGPT and how they affect cognitive processes by means of a quantitative survey of 150 students of a university in Lahore, Pakistan, in the public sector. The findings demonstrate that the relationship between AI use and the acquisition of critical thinking skills is significantly positive, and generative AI tools are viewed as more beneficial to reflective and active learning than rote memorization. The research paper is relevant to exploring how AI can be used to transform traditional passive approaches to learning to more profound and analytical approaches based on the knowledge economy of the modern era.