An Experimental Study of the Effect of AI Course Assistants on Student Grade Outcomes

This study investigates the effects of utilizing the AI course assistant, Spark, on student academic performance at Los Angeles Pacific University (LAPU). Focusing on grade outcomes, the research reveals that students who engaged with Spark three or more times achieved significantly higher grades compared to those who did not use the AI assistant. Through nonparametric statistical methods, including the Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test, we found a moderate-to-strong positive relationship between Spark utilization and improved academic performance. Propensity score matching was used to control for confounding factors such as age, gender, and ethnicity, ensuring robust comparisons between groups. The results underscore the potential of AI tools like Spark to enhance student success, particularly in online and asynchronous learning environments. These findings suggest that frequent interactions with AI assistants contribute to improved academic outcomes, offering valuable insights for institutions seeking to integrate AI technology to support student learning.