AI Use and Critical Thinking Skills of Public School Teachers in Graduate School

This study explored the connection between the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the critical thinking abilities of graduate student teachers in public schools. Employing a descriptive correlational research approach, this study included 41 participants chosen through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured survey questionnaire that evaluated the participants' demographics, extent of AI usage, and critical thinking skills in the areas of analysis, evaluation, interpretation, inference, and reasoning. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson’s r correlation, t-tests, and one-way ANOVA were used. The results indicated that teachers had a moderate level of AI usage (M = 3.26, SD = 0.89), suggesting that AI tools are occasionally employed in teaching and academic tasks but are not yet fully integrated into regular practice. Conversely, participants displayed a high level of critical thinking skills (M = 3.49, SD = 0.87), indicating a strong proficiency in advanced cognitive processes. The study also found a significant moderate positive correlation between AI usage and critical thinking skills (r = 0.52, p < 0.001), implying that greater engagement with AI tools is linked to enhanced critical thinking skills. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed when participants were categorized according to age, sex, and teaching experience. These findings suggest that while AI adoption is still evolving, it has the potential to improve cognitive skills when used responsibly. The study recommends implementing structured intervention programs focusing on AI literacy, ethical use, and enhancing critical thinking skills to ensure effective and balanced AI integration in education.