Understanding Student Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence as a Teammate

Abstract This article examines students' opinions regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a teammate in solving complex problems. The overarching goal of the study is to explore the effectiveness of AI as a collaborative partner in educational settings. In the study, 15 groups of grade 9 students (59 students total) were assigned a challenging problem related to space exploration and were given access to an AI teammate. Following the task, the students participated in focus group discussions to gain insight into their perspectives on collaborating with AI. These discussions were analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes. Epistemic Network Analysis was then used to quantify and visualise this data. The results suggest that students perceive AI with regard to two main themes: Trust in AI and the Capability of AI. The study's outcomes shed light on how students perceive AI and provide practical recommendations for educators to effectively incorporate AI into classrooms. Specifically, the recommendations include strategies for building student trust in AI systems through Explainable AI processes. This, in turn, encourages collaboration between humans and AI and promotes the development of AI literacy among students. The findings of this study are a valuable addition to the ongoing discussion on AI in education and offer actionable insights for educators to navigate the integration of AI technologies in support of student learning and growth. The scientific contribution of this study lies in its empirical investigation of student-AI interaction, providing evidence-based insights for enhancing educational practices.