Demonstrating AI as Collaborator for Undergrad Thesis Advising: Student Perceptions of AI-Guided Interactions to Enhance Critical Thinking

This study explores the integration of AI tools, specifically ChatGPT, as collabora-tive partners in undergraduate thesis advising to enhance critical thinking skills. Over an 11-week period, three undergraduate students interested in diverse research topics engaged in structured AI-facilitated interactions while developing their theses. Using researcher-provided prompts, the students conducted dialogues with the AI, main-tained interaction journals, and reflected on their experiences. Pre- and post-assess-ments using the AAC&U VALUE Rubric evaluated their critical thinking skills, com-plemented by a perception survey adapted from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). The findings revealed students held positive attitudes toward using AI in their academic work, regularly employing AI tools for assignments, idea generation, and understanding complex topics. They expressed strong intentions to continue integrat-ing AI into their studies, citing perceived usefulness and enjoyment. However, the assessments did not show significant improvement in critical thinking skills over the study period, suggesting that merely incorporating AI interactions may not directly enhance these skills. Factors such as topic familiarity and the study's duration may have influenced the outcomes.