View in EDS PDF Full Text

The Role of Generative AI in Enhancing or Undermining Autonomous Learning in Higher Education

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The Role of Generative AI in Enhancing or Undermining Autonomous Learning in Higher Education
Language: English
Authors: Rizwan Shoukat, Khalida Parveen, Ashraf Iqbal, Muhammad Shafiq, Huang Qibing
Source: Journal of Educators Online. 2026 23(1).
Availability: Journal of Educators Online. Grand Canyon University, 23300 West Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85017. e-mail: CIRT@gcu.edu. Web site: https://www.thejeo.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Higher Education, Artificial Intelligence, Technology Uses in Education, Personal Autonomy, Student Attitudes, Independent Study, Barriers, Foreign Countries, Universities, Undergraduate Students, Masters Programs, Doctoral Students, Graduate Students
Geographic Terms: Pakistan
ISSN: 1547-500X
Abstract: This paper analyses the effect of generative AI on the improvement or deterioration of autonomous learning in higher education. Given that AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, are increasingly being incorporated into academic practices, it is vital to understand their effects on student autonomy. The application of SEM and CFA can help to better understand the connections between AI use, student attitude, and dependency. This study had a sample size of 100 higher education students with demographic variability (50% men and 50% women; between the ages of 19 and 32; 48% undergraduate, 32% master's, and 20% PhD students). Results show that intensive AI use develops students' autonomy perceptions (path coefficient = 0.6-0.7, p < 0.05) but negatively relates to autonomy if dependency on AI is overused (path coefficient = -0.5, p < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between AI usage and attitudes (r = 0.45), but a moderate correlation with dependency (r = 0.40), which brings into question overdependence. The findings, therefore, present a multifaceted role for generative AI in higher education that calls for a balanced usage and guidance at the institutional level.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499290
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
    Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwGuDMUqLoXg624ICGNR4gN4AAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDJwCnPJ1XPDQf7UYsAIBEICBm8ZPT01zoWxRD_k8mtdQJYEZr0dsQp1X2Q5KiiAuy9RNvHBSQn6zJ9s5vL6cVtqhVTHeak7Tkn7W1yfAfOD5_btlWIm0B6hnK1Cw76F5yt1z9wAukzOt8a05JIYS9KQtbLtItsV0SqHNsJ2Iv7Kke7HvUKg0detNMg_Ls57-eJKvc2l-ref4rlH4249HIbw_cVt9UGF2zPJCduX8
Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1499290
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1499290
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The Role of Generative AI in Enhancing or Undermining Autonomous Learning in Higher Education
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Rizwan+Shoukat%22&quot;&gt;Rizwan Shoukat&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Khalida+Parveen%22&quot;&gt;Khalida Parveen&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Ashraf+Iqbal%22&quot;&gt;Ashraf Iqbal&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Muhammad+Shafiq%22&quot;&gt;Muhammad Shafiq&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Huang+Qibing%22&quot;&gt;Huang Qibing&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;SO&quot; term=&quot;%22Journal+of+Educators+Online%22&quot;&gt;&lt;i&gt;Journal of Educators Online&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/searchLink&gt;. 2026 23(1).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Journal of Educators Online. Grand Canyon University, 23300 West Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85017. e-mail: CIRT@gcu.edu. Web site: https://www.thejeo.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 14
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles&lt;br /&gt;Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;EL&quot; term=&quot;%22Higher+Education%22&quot;&gt;Higher Education&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;EL&quot; term=&quot;%22Postsecondary+Education%22&quot;&gt;Postsecondary Education&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Higher+Education%22&quot;&gt;Higher Education&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Artificial+Intelligence%22&quot;&gt;Artificial Intelligence&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22&quot;&gt;Technology Uses in Education&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Personal+Autonomy%22&quot;&gt;Personal Autonomy&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Student+Attitudes%22&quot;&gt;Student Attitudes&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Independent+Study%22&quot;&gt;Independent Study&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Barriers%22&quot;&gt;Barriers&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Foreign+Countries%22&quot;&gt;Foreign Countries&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Universities%22&quot;&gt;Universities&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Undergraduate+Students%22&quot;&gt;Undergraduate Students&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Masters+Programs%22&quot;&gt;Masters Programs&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Doctoral+Students%22&quot;&gt;Doctoral Students&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Graduate+Students%22&quot;&gt;Graduate Students&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22Pakistan%22&quot;&gt;Pakistan&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1547-500X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This paper analyses the effect of generative AI on the improvement or deterioration of autonomous learning in higher education. Given that AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E, are increasingly being incorporated into academic practices, it is vital to understand their effects on student autonomy. The application of SEM and CFA can help to better understand the connections between AI use, student attitude, and dependency. This study had a sample size of 100 higher education students with demographic variability (50% men and 50% women; between the ages of 19 and 32; 48% undergraduate, 32% master&#39;s, and 20% PhD students). Results show that intensive AI use develops students&#39; autonomy perceptions (path coefficient = 0.6-0.7, p &lt; 0.05) but negatively relates to autonomy if dependency on AI is overused (path coefficient = -0.5, p &lt; 0.05). Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between AI usage and attitudes (r = 0.45), but a moderate correlation with dependency (r = 0.40), which brings into question overdependence. The findings, therefore, present a multifaceted role for generative AI in higher education that calls for a balanced usage and guidance at the institutional level.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1499290
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1499290
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Artificial Intelligence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Technology Uses in Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Personal Autonomy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Independent Study
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Universities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Masters Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Doctoral Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Graduate Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pakistan
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The Role of Generative AI in Enhancing or Undermining Autonomous Learning in Higher Education
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Rizwan Shoukat
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Khalida Parveen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ashraf Iqbal
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Muhammad Shafiq
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Huang Qibing
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1547-500X
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 23
            – Type: issue
              Value: 1
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Journal of Educators Online
              Type: main
ResultId 1