How AI Facilitates Students in Constructing Ideas To Solve Mathematical Problems: A Critical Thinking Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22437/edumatica.v16i2.45262Keywords:
artificial intelligence, critical thinking, constructing ideasAbstract
Critical thinking is an essential skill in the 21st century; however, many students continue demonstrating low critical thinking abilities, partly attributed to the lack of personalized learning approaches. This lack of learning approaches leads students to look for other alternatives to comprehend subjects at school better, and one of the ways is by utilizing AI. One real example of students utilizing AI happens in Mathematics class, and this phenomenon stole the researchers’ interest to conduct further study. This study aimed to investigate how AI, mainly GenAI platforms (i.e., Meta AI and ChatGPT), facilitates the construction of mathematical ideas in comprehending problems and formulating appropriate solution strategies. The research was conducted at a school in Surabaya during the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year, involving five students aged 15-17 years who are basically capable of utilizing AI on a daily basis without prior training in learning contexts. A qualitative research design within an interpretative paradigm was employed, and the data analysis was conducted through Reflexive Thematic Analysis to identify, analyze, and report patterns within the data. The findings indicate that AI facilitates the construction of mathematical ideas based on critical thinking indicators through mechanisms of cognitive scaffolding, iteration and refinement, and prompt development following a general-to-specific pattern. The construction of ideas that occurred during the research take into account students’ initial conditions, thereby demonstrating AI’s role in enhancing personalized mathematics learning.
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