Consolidate knowledge or build scientific models? The role of online information-searching strategies in students’ prompt sequences with Generative Artificial Intelligence
Discussing with generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has been recognized as a method for obtaining information. Researchers have noticed that students’ ability to search, select, and evaluate information (e.g., their online information-searching strategies) may affect the quality of their learni...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Forum of Educational Technology & Society
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Educational Technology & Society |
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| Online Access: | https://www.j-ets.net/collection/published-issues/28_3#h.ysu0pqshab4x |
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| Summary: | Discussing with generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has been recognized as a method for obtaining information. Researchers have noticed that students’ ability to search, select, and evaluate information (e.g., their online information-searching strategies) may affect the quality of their learning and discussion with GAI. In this study, we conducted an experiment in an online science course to explore the role of online information-searching strategies (OISS) in the process of students discussing with GAI. A total of 46 high school students participated in the study. In the course, students wrote question prompts to the GAI, accessed information provided by the GAI, and composed their science reports. We collected the students’ OISS tendency questionnaire, science reports, and the question prompt content they wrote to GAI. According to the results, students with higher OISS outperformed those with lower OISS in terms of content accuracy and logical descriptions in their science reports. The ordered network analysis (ONA) results showed a significant difference in the prompting sequences of the two groups of students. Students with higher OISS gradually developed their knowledge models of scientific concepts by organizing information and finding connections or inconsistencies among different types of knowledge. Students with lower OISS strategies focused more on content extension and consolidation of independent expertise. We labeled the higher OISS students as holism learners, while the lower OISS students were labeled as atomism learners. Lastly, the study findings underscore the importance of guiding students to comprehensively structure and synthesize their knowledge within GAI-based learning environments. |
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| ISSN: | 1176-3647 1436-4522 |