Research Landscape

Rapid Review ⏩︎

Zia Hassan

What motivational factors influence high school and undergraduate students’ decisions to use Generative AI tools on academic assignments?

Relevant Literature

Self-determination Theory 🚂 (Deci & Ryan, 1980)

Self-regulated Learning 🎒 (Zimmerman, 1986)

Technology Acceptance Model 📱 (Davis, 1989)

Expectancy-Value Theory 📈 (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000)

UTAUT 👍 (Vinkatesh, 2003)

Methods

🦹 Database limited to ERIC

🦹 Only academic journals

🦹 Articles from 2023-2024

🦹 Search criteria: (Generative AI OR GenAI OR ChatGPT) AND (Motivation OR SDT OR TAM OR Academic Integrity) AND (assignments AND high school)

Screening 🧲

🧲 700 articles found from query

🧲 ASReview of Title & Abstract produced 37 results, further reduced to 10

🧲 Additional results from Ebscohost search query added

🧲 Criteria: Generative AI and motivation from students to use the AI

🧲 Mostly quantitative/survey, some mixed methods

Finding #1

High school and college students are motivated to use AI primarily because of its perceived usefulness in reducing academic burden.

Ansari, et al., 2024; Anmol, et al., 2024; Strzelecki, 2024

Finding #2

There is a negative correlation between intent to use AI and the perceived costs such as hallucinations, ethics, impact on their value as a student, etc.

Chan & Hu, 2023; Strzelecki, 2024

Finding #3

Students use AI for their schoolwork because it is enjoyable and habit-forming.

Anmol, et al. 2024; Strzelecki, 2024; Nawaz, et al., 2023

Implications

💥 AI ethics is a necessary discussion for high school and college students

💥 Consider how other forms of learning can be perceived as useful to reduce academic burden while bolstering academic growth

💥 Listen to student voices!

Limitations

🏋️‍♂️ Emerging literature in a new field

🏋️‍♂️ Only one database

🏋️‍♂️ Small sample size

🏋️‍♂️ Lack of experimental designs

🏋️‍♂️ Search criteria may have limited results

Gaps 🕳️

  • Qualitative studies that focus on students using AI to complete the entire assignment
  • Not as many studies on SDT as I had hoped (more on TAM/UTAUT)
  • Not as many studies focused into the harms of using AI as a student, most focused on adoption
  • Lack of intervention studies

Dream study 😶‍🌫️

Method: Quasi-randomized assignment of participants to three task framing conditions:

• Efficiency-focused: Complete tasks quickly with AI assistance.

• Learning-focused: Use AI to deepen understanding.

• Neutral: No framing, open-ended use of AI.

Intervention: Assign participants challenging tasks (e.g., essays, problem-solving) while tracking AI usage patterns (frequency, query type) and measuring outcomes (time, accuracy, quality).

Outcome: Identify discrepancies between intentions and actions, revealing how framing influences AI engagement and informing policies for ethical, meaningful AI use.

Reflections

  • Wow, the structure of the search query is everything!
  • ASReview is an amazing piece of software
  • Does theory-in-query limit results?
  • How many reviews does it take to answer a big question?

Questions?