AI in Modern Education: Understanding Student Usage, Perceptions, and Pedagogical Implications

As generative AI tools become ubiquitous in education, debate persists between their role as cognitive scaffolding and their potential to diminish critical thinking. This research investigates actual student engagement with AI tools, moving beyond common assumptions to analyze frequency, purpose, and perceived cognitive impact. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, this paper examines how students navigate AI integration, whether they perceive these tools as enhancing or undermining their learning, and what pedagogical support they require from educators.