Does intrinsic motivation mediate perceived artificial intelligence (AI) learning and computational thinking of students during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI), born as the possibility of simulating the human brain's learning capabilities, quickly evolves into one of the educational technology concepts that provide tools for students to better themselves in a plethora of areas. Unlike the previous educational technology iterations, which are limited to instrumental use for providing platforms to build learning applications, AI has proposed a unique education laboratory by enabling students to explore an instrument that functions as a dynamic system of computational concepts. However, the extent of the implications of AI adaptation in modern education is yet to be explored. Motivated to fill the literature gap and to consider the emerging significance of AI in education, this paper aims to analyze the possible intertwined relationship between students' intrinsic motivation for learning Artificial Intelligence during the COVID-19 pandemic;the relationship between students' computational thinking and understanding of AI concepts;and the underlying dynamic relation, if existing, between AI and computational thinking building efforts. To investigate the mentioned relationships, the present empirical study employs mediation analysis based upon collected 137 survey data from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid students in the Institute for Educational Science and the School of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering during the first quarter of 2022. Findings show that intrinsic motivation mediates the relationship between perceived Artificial Intelligence learning and computational thinking. Also, the research indicates that intrinsic motivation has a significant relationship with computational thinking and perceived Artificial Intelligence learning. © 2023

Is Team-Based Online Learning Activities Enhances Critical Thinking Skills of Engineering Students or Not? An Exploratory Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic to explore whether team-based, online learning activities play a role in enhancing undergraduate engineering students' critical thinking skills. To conduct the study, we distributed a Google Form-based online survey among undergraduate engineering students through Tecnolo & PRIME;gico de Monterrey learning management system platform during the fall semester of 2020. In total, we received 50 complete responses through a convenient sampling approach. To analyze the quantitative data, we applied a hierarchical regression technique using the IBM SPSS 26.0 statistical software program. The findings of this study affirm that participation in team-based online learning activities meant to improve (1) the quality of learning and (2) reasoning ability have a significant positive correlation with critical thinking skills of undergraduate students in engineering programs. We also conclude that quality of learning has higher significant association with critical thinking skills as compared to reasoning ability