Kennsludagar-Kennslukaffi: How are students using AI

Kennslukaffi á vegum Kennsluakademíunnar og Kennslumiðstöðvar HÍ

Åse Nygren: How are students using AI? kl.15-16.

Á ensku.

Viðburðurinn er á Teams. Hér er hlekkur.

In a recent study conducted at two Swedish universities with contrasting academic profiles—a technology-focused institution and a more broadly oriented one—Åse Nygren, Emil Alégroth, Jeanette Sjöberg and Anna Eriksson investigated university students' perceptions and proficiency in integrating generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) into their higher education experience. Åse Nygren will discuss the implications of the study, which surveyed 1,097 students from diverse disciplines such as engineering, nursing, and criminology. The central questions guiding the study were: How do students actually use GenAI in their studies? What attitudes do they hold toward this technology? Do they view it as a replacement for traditional teaching and learning? And do these perceptions and usage patterns differ significantly between students at a specialized technical university and those at a comprehensive university? The results reveal that students actively employ GenAI for a broad range of purposes—from idea generation and summarizing to editing and problem-solving—and express an overall positive attitude toward the tool. Crucially, they do not perceive GenAI as a substitute for conventional education, human instructors, or peer interaction; instead, they see it as a valuable complement. These insights underscore the need for pedagogical strategies that encourage critical, reflective engagement with GenAI to promote deeper learning and strengthen student agency in an AI-augmented academic landscape.