Principal Investigator: Orit Karni-Schmidt, Lecturer in Biological Sciences
Summary: This study investigates the efficacy of AI literacy skill-building activities in enhancing undergraduate students' engagement with artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for Intelligence Augmentation. Our hypothesis posits that structured, active interaction with AI will improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills more effectively than passive AI engagement. Student perceptions and motivations regarding AI use are anticipated to evolve as they experience the varying effects of AI engagement on their learning. The study will be conducted in Frontiers of Science, an introductory course in Columbia’s Core Curriculum, where guided AI-focused activities will be integrated into seminar sessions. These activities are designed to help students experience and practice AI as a tool for cognitive augmentation rather than mere answer generation. The impact of this intervention will be evaluated through a mixed-method approach. Quantitative data will be collected via in-class assessments comparing the performance of students actively engaging with AI against those using it passively to solve equivalent problems. Qualitative data will be gathered through pre- and post-intervention surveys assessing students' AI usage and self-reported confidence in effective study strategy use. This research aims to clarify how structured AI engagement can improve learning while addressing risks of overreliance and superficial understanding in AI-supported education.