Impact of Artificial Intelligence Use on Students’ Academic Performance in Ethiopian Higher education: In the Case of Adama Science and Technology University

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is changing almost everything around us. Various industries, including education sectors were changing by this technology. The study aimed to identify factors influencing AI tools acceptance, investigate impact of AI tools usage on student academic performance and its potential draw back. This study seeks to address the existing gap in understanding how AI tools are being used and what effect they have on student academic outcomes. The study employed mixed-method cross sectional design. And it involved 285students and 43 teachers from Adama Science and Technology University. The participants were selected using multi-stage sampling and sample size was determined by Yamanes’s formula. The research utilizes both primary data and secondary data. The data was analyzed using descriptive, correlation and ordinal logistic regression analyses by using SPSS software. The finding shows that performance expectancy was the most significant factors influencing AI tools acceptance, with 80% of respondents agreed that expected academic performance improvement was key driver to adopt AI tools. Student interaction was the second key factors to accept AI tools with (76% agreement). The correlation result shows that AI tools usage and academic performance improvement had moderately strong and statistically significant positive relationship. Additionally, ordinary logistic regression result confirmed that effective AI tools usage significantly increases log odds of achieving higher GPA improvement category. Additionally, teachers believe that AI tools have the potential to improve student performance, especially when students use them thoughtfully and responsibly. Additionally, they noted its draw back including laziness, loss in critical thinking and degrading of independent decision-making capacity. To enhance academic performance students should utilize these tools properly. On the other side, creating AI tools usage frame work is important things to avoid drawback of these tools. Continues training, task-based easement method and investing on digital infrastructure were key step to balance advantage and dis advantages of these tools.