The Application of Artificial Intelligence to Foster Critical Thinking in Social Sciences at the Upper Basic Level
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51247/st.v8i3.596Keywords:
Critical thinking, Artificial intelligence, Sciences sociales, ChatGPTAbstract
This study investigated the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically the use of ChatGPT, on the development of critical thinking skills in 10th-grade students of General Basic Education Superior in the Social Sciences area at the "Antonio Flores Jijón" Fiscal Educational Unit. The research, employing a mixed-methods approach and a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, involved a purposive sample of 25 students and two Social Sciences teachers. Initially, limitations in the pedagogical use of AI and a low level of critical thinking skills among the students were identified through surveys and interviews. Subsequently, an activity system based on ChatGPT was designed and implemented. This system was structured to foster guided research, argumentative construction, debate, and reflection. Furthermore, it underwent expert validation, which yielded "sufficient" results, confirming its relevance. Regarding the post-test results, a statistically significant increase in students' critical thinking skills was revealed in areas such as self-regulation, argument construction, establishing a position on a topic, and formulating conclusions, as determined by the Student's t-test. Notably, the interviews with the teachers supported these findings, highlighting the effectiveness of ChatGPT as a tool for research and debate. In conclusion, the study demonstrated the positive impact of implementing a ChatGPT-centered activity system on the development of critical thinking within the specific context of upper basic education in Social Sciences.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Luis Fernando Quinde-Zambrano, Pierina Paola Franco-Arroyo, Nayade Caridad Reyes-Palau
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