RESEARCH EXPLANATION

ABSTRACT
- Our research examined the perceive effects of AI tools on the academic performance of pre-service
elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT.
- We used a qualitative research design
- Data were gathered through open-ended survey questions answered by pre-service elementary
teachers
- Findings revealed that ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Cici were among the most commonly used AI tools
- The use of AI tools was found to have positive effects, such as simplifying schoolwork, enhancing
academic performance, improving critical thinking, and expanding knowledge.
- However, negative effects were also observed, including over-reliance on AI, reduced critical
thinking, decreased creativity, and the risk of academic dishonesty.
- The study highlighted several advantages of AI tools, such as quick access to information and
personalized learning support
- Disadvantages like inaccurate information and diminished originality.
- recommendations were made to promote balanced and critical use of AI tools to support, rather than
replace, students’ independent learning and academic development.

REASON WHY WE CONDUCTED THIS STUDY

- Many students aim to do well in school, and this goal is a big part of their daily lives. It’s often seen
as a key way to show how smart or capable they are. To reach this goal, students often look for
ways to improve their performance, and more and more, they are using new technologies like
artificial intelligence (AI) to help them succeed.

WHAT IS AI?

- AI, or artificial intelligence, is a type of computer technology that can do things that usually need
human thinking. This includes learning new things, solving problems, and making decisions in
everyday situations. Studies show that AI has the power to make big changes in many areas. It can
help understand and translate language, study large amounts of information, give useful advice, and
much more.

(the studies below are not the scope or not the focus of our study, but in case we are ask. Our intro will be

“That’s an interesting question. Based on our research, a possible explanation is on the study conducted by…”

RESEARCH STUDIES IF WE ARE ASK ABOUT THE ADVANTAGE OF AI IN TEACHING

- Eltahir et al. (2024) found that AI helps students stay interested in learning by making lessons
more interactive and personal. It adjusts to each student’s needs, which keeps them motivated. AI
also helps students understand hard topics by offering smart tutoring, quick feedback, and custom
tests. It reduces teachers’ workloads by handling grading and admin tasks, letting them focus more
on helping students. AI also supports different learning styles, helps students with disabilities, and
translates languages in real time, making learning fairer and more inclusive for everyone.
- Altememy et al. (2023) found that AI helps students stay motivated and interested in learning,
which is important for doing well in school. AI tools adjust lessons to fit each student’s needs,
making it easier to understand and remember things. They give quick feedback, fun activities, and
helpful resources based on what each student is good or bad at. This helps students learn at their
 own pace and feel more confident. AI also supports different learning styles and makes learning
more fun with things like games, chatbots, and virtual teachers, leading to better results.
- Goksel and Bozkurt (2019) found that AI in education focuses on personalized learning, adapting
to each student’s needs, learning style, and pace. Instead of the same lessons for everyone, AI helps
create custom learning paths by checking how students are doing and adjusting in real time. This
helps fast learners move ahead and gives extra help to those who need it. AI also supports different
ways of learning, like through pictures, sounds, or hands-on activities. While AI has many benefits,
it’s important to use it carefully and fairly.

RESEARCH STUDIES IF WE ARE ASK ABOUT THE DISADVANTAGE OF AI IN TEACHING

- Abdelsalam (2014) studied the benefits and problems of using AI tools like Intelligent Tutoring
Systems (ITS) in education. The ITS uses mastery learning, meaning students fully understand a
topic before moving on. It gives personalized lessons, adjusts to student needs, and offers quick
feedback. While this helps learning, the study also showed concerns. People feared AI might focus
too much on memorizing facts and not enough on creativity or emotional skills. They also worried
AI could replace teachers and reduce human interaction. Other concerns included privacy, data
misuse, and the risk of making students feel isolated.
- The study compares the rise of AI to how mobile phones were widely used without control, which
has hurt social skills and emotional health (Choliz, 2010). It warns that we need to think carefully
before using new technology like AI, especially in education. Participants said phones already
reduce real human interaction, and they worry AI could make this worse. They also fear that in the
future, there may be fewer teachers and more robot assistants in schools.

RESEARCH STUDIES IF WE ARE ASK ABOUT AI HERE IN THE PHILIIPPINES

- A recent study by Giray et al. (2024) looks at how AI is being used in higher education in the
Philippines, focusing on the views of teachers and administrators. The study shows that many
people in education are excited about AI’s potential to improve teaching and learning. Teachers are
using AI tools to make lessons more engaging and personalized, while AI systems help with grading
and provide instant feedback. AI also helps make administrative tasks like scheduling and data
management easier, allowing administrators to focus on more important tasks. Additionally, AI is
being used in research to help with data analysis and writing. While most people see the benefits of
AI, there are concerns about data privacy, cheating, and whether students might rely too much on AI
and lose their creativity and critical thinking skills.

RESEARCH STUDIES IF WE ARE ASK ABOUT AI REPLACING HUMAN IN THE NEAR FUTURE

- Picciano (2019) presents a different perspective, suggesting that it's not AI itself that will replace
jobs, but rather those who can effectively utilize AI and intelligent systems who will out-compete
those who cannot. This implies that the future of work will likely involve collaboration between
humans and AI, where humans focus on higher-level tasks that require creativity, critical thinking,
and human interaction.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to examine the perceived effects of AI tools on the academic performance of pre-service
elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT. Specifically, it seeks to address the following research questions:

1.) What AI tools are commonly used by pre-service elementary teachers?

 2.) How AI tools affect the academic performance of pre-service elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT?
3.) What are the advantages of using AI tools?
4.) What are the disadvantages of using AI tools?

Scope and Delimitation

- This study focuses on examining the perceived effects of AI tools on the academic performance of
pre-service elementary teachers at Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of
Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT).
- Specifically, it investigates how AI tools affect students' learning performance.
- The respondents of this study are the AI users on second-year and third-year Bachelor of
Elementary Education (BEED) students enrolled in the second semester of the academic year 2024-
2025.
- The study was conducted on April at DEBESMSCAT, located in Cabitan, Mandaon, Masbate, a
public institution offering Bachelor of Elementary Education and other academic programs.

Theoretical Framework

- This study is grounded in Media Literacy Theory (Potter, 2004) to examine how pre-service
elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT use AI tools and how their ability to critically evaluate AI-
generated content influences their academic performance. Media literacy involves accessing,
analyzing, evaluating, and creating information and skills essential for verifying AI outputs.
Students with strong media literacy are expected to fact-check and refine AI-generated content,
leading to better academic performance. On the other hand, those who rely on AI without
verification risk submitting inaccurate information, which may negatively impact their academic
performance.

Conceptual Framework

- This study looks at how using AI tools affects the academic performance of future elementary
teachers at DEBESMSCAT.
- AI tool usage refers to how much students use AI-powered apps for tasks like completing
assignments, explaining concepts, and helping with research. However, using AI tools doesn’t
automatically improve academic performance. The results depend on how students interact with the
AI content.
- How students critically assess AI-generated information is key to its impact on their success. –
- Students who check, improve, and carefully use AI content are more likely to do well.
- On the other hand, students who rely too much on AI without checking it might get wrong
information, which could hurt their grades.
Definition of Terms

Academic Performance

● This refers to how well a student does in their studies, usually measured by grades, test scores, and
overall achievements. It shows how well a student understands the subjects they are learning and how
involved they are in their education.

Pre-service Elementary Teachers

● These are students in the Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED) program at DEBESMSCAT who
are training to become future teachers. In this study, they are the focus, and their views on how AI tools
affect their academic tasks are analyzed to see how it influences their academic performance.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) Tools

● These are digital programs and software powered by AI that help students with tasks like writing,
summarizing, answering questions, and explaining concepts. In this study, AI tools refer to those
commonly used by pre-service elementary teachers to complete their coursework. The study looks at
how accurate these tools are in providing reliable content and how this affects student performance.

Discovered

● This term is used as another way of saying "perceived," meaning to notice or become aware of how AI
tools impact students' academic performance.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature

- Today, artificial intelligence (AI) helps the brain process information better through machine
learning (Semmler & Rose, 2017). It’s like a bicycle for the mind, making thinking faster and easier
to switch between tasks. AI tools are known to boost students' grades, motivation, and involvement
in learning.
- Altememy et al. (2023) studied how AI tools affect student performance, focusing on how
motivation and engagement play a role. The study in Iraq used data and found a strong link between
AI tools and better student performance. It showed that AI-based learning can help students improve,
especially in countries with limited technology.
- Using AI tools like ChatGPT, Gradescope, and Ivy Chatbot allows students to access a wide range of
information, helping them learn on their own and do better in their studies (McFarland, 2023).
- However, using these tools successfully needs strong technology support, which is still a challenge
in many developing countries, including Iraq (Aldulaimi, Kadhim, & Alfaras, 2018).
- Yoon et al. (2019) showed that students who used AI platforms like ChatGPT had better academic
results than those who didn't use these tools.

Effects of AI tools in Academic Performance

 - Mallillin (2024) found that AI has a big impact on student performance by focusing on key
learning tasks and improving the learning process. It helps students think critically, express their
ideas, and measure their progress. AI customizes learning to fit each student's needs, helping those
who are struggling and providing support to improve. It also makes school tasks easier, motivating
students to do better and develop a more positive attitude toward learning.
- Bigayan et al. (2023) studied how AI-powered calculators affect the math performance of senior
high school STEM students. The study showed that these tools help students learn better, stay
engaged, and improve problem-solving skills. The results suggest that using AI in math education
prepares students for future challenges in STEM fields.
- Trisoni et al. (2023) looked at how AI can improve student performance in senior high school. The
research used surveys with Google forms and interviews with teachers and students to gather
information on how AI helps teachers create better lessons. The results show that AI can help
teachers improve student learning and help students do better in their studies.

Related Studies

- Abdelsalam (2014) studied the benefits and problems of using AI tools like Intelligent Tutoring
Systems (ITS) in education. The ITS uses mastery learning, meaning students fully understand a
topic before moving on. It gives personalized lessons, adjusts to student needs, and offers quick
feedback. While this helps learning, the study also showed concerns. People feared AI might focus
too much on memorizing facts and not enough on creativity or emotional skills. They also worried
AI could replace teachers and reduce human interaction. Other concerns included privacy, data
misuse, and the risk of making students feel isolated.
- Picciano (2019) presents a different perspective, suggesting that it's not AI itself that will replace
jobs, but rather those who can effectively utilize AI and intelligent systems who will out-compete
those who cannot. This implies that the future of work will likely involve collaboration between
humans and AI, where humans focus on higher-level tasks that require creativity, critical thinking,
and human interaction.
- Goksel and Bozkurt (2019) found that AI in education focuses on personalized learning, adapting
to each student’s needs, learning style, and pace. Instead of the same lessons for everyone, AI helps
create custom learning paths by checking how students are doing and adjusting in real time. This
helps fast learners move ahead and gives extra help to those who need it. AI also supports different
ways of learning, like through pictures, sounds, or hands-on activities. While AI has many benefits,
it’s important to use it carefully and fairly.
- Aydemir and Gocen (2020) found that AI helps make learning more personal by adjusting lessons
to each student's needs. AI tools can change the level and speed of lessons based on how a student is
doing, helping them learn in a way that suits them best. The study showed that AI supports different
learning styles and improves the overall learning experience.
- Eltahir et al. (2024) found that AI helps students stay interested in learning by making lessons
more interactive and personal. It adjusts to each student’s needs, which keeps them motivated. AI
also helps students understand hard topics by offering smart tutoring, quick feedback, and custom
tests. It reduces teachers’ workloads by handling grading and admin tasks, letting them focus more
on helping students. AI also supports different learning styles, helps students with disabilities, and
translates languages in real time, making learning fairer and more inclusive for everyone.
- Altememy et al. (2023) found that AI helps students stay motivated and interested in learning,
which is important for doing well in school. AI tools adjust lessons to fit each student’s needs,
making it easier to understand and remember things. They give quick feedback, fun activities, and
helpful resources based on what each student is good or bad at. This helps students learn at their
own pace and feel more confident. AI also supports different learning styles and makes learning
more fun with things like games, chatbots, and virtual teachers, leading to better results.
 - A recent study by Giray et al. (2024) looks at how AI is being used in higher education in the
Philippines, focusing on the views of teachers and administrators. The study shows that many
people in education are excited about AI’s potential to improve teaching and learning. Teachers are
using AI tools to make lessons more engaging and personalized, while AI systems help with grading
and provide instant feedback. AI also helps make administrative tasks like scheduling and data
management easier, allowing administrators to focus on more important tasks. Additionally, AI is
being used in research to help with data analysis and writing. While most people see the benefits of
AI, there are concerns about data privacy, cheating, and whether students might rely too much on AI
and lose their creativity and critical thinking skills.

Synthesis of the State of the Art

- Research shows that AI has a strong impact on personalized learning, student interest, and academic
success. Early studies, like Abdelsalam (2014), saw its benefits but also warned about overuse and
data privacy issues. Later, Goksel and Bozkurt (2019) focused on how AI supports adaptive
learning, and Picciano (2019) said AI should help—not replace—teachers. Aydemir and Gocen
(2020) showed that AI adjusts lessons based on how students learn. Recent studies, like Altememy
et al. (2023) and Eltahir et al. (2024), found that AI boosts motivation and learning but also
highlighted the need for rules to protect users. Giray et al. (2024) looked at AI in the Philippines and
saw both benefits and concerns. Despite the growing body of research on AI in education, limited
studies have specifically examined its perceived effects on pre-service elementary teachers.

Gap Bridged by the Study

- Despite the existing body of research on the effects of AI in education, a notable gap remains
regarding its perceived impact on the academic performance of pre-service elementary teachers.
While research supports AI role in improving education, few studies specifically examine the
perceive effects on this group. This study addresses that gap by exploring the perceived effects of
AI tools on the academic performance of pre-service elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT.

CHAPTER -III METHODOLOGY

Research Design

- This study employed a qualitative research design to examine the perceived effects of AI tools on
the academic performance of pre-service elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT.
- The study involves a pre-survey, where students fill out forms to confirm that they are AI users.
- Additionally, a survey questionnaire were given to the verified AI users, containing open-ended
questions where they provided detailed responses.
- The study aims to determine the perceived effects of AI tools on students’ academic performance.
- Furthermore, a thematic analysis is utilized to identify, analyze, and report patterns (themes) within
the data, allowing for a flexible, inductive approach to understanding the responses.
- The rationale for using this design is grounded in its well-established utility in educational research,
where it has been effectively applied to examine the perceived effects of AI tools on student
learning outcomes.

Sampling Method and Study Respondents

- The study focused on 193 second-year and third-year pre-service elementary teachers at Dr. Emilio
B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT),
comprising 41 males (21%) and 152 females (79%).
 - A purposive sampling method was employed to select respondents most likely to provide valuable
insights into the effects of artificial intelligence on academic performance.
- This approach ensured that the sample was directly relevant to the study's objectives, targeting pre-
service elementary teachers at a critical stage in their education, where proficiency in AI tools is
essential for their academic and professional development.

Research Instruments

- To effectively examine the perceived effects of artificial intelligence (AI) tools on the academic
performance of pre-service elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT, the study utilized a researcher-
made instrument.
- The research instrument, an Open-Ended Survey Questionnaire, involves the collection of data
through written responses to open-ended questions.
- Participants are asked to provide detailed answers to capture rich and nuanced data. The information
helped in determining the perceived effects of AI tools on the academic outcomes of the learners.

Validity of Research Instrument

- To ensure the credibility and accuracy of the research findings, the survey questionnaire underwent
content validity.
- The validity of the instrument was established through expert evaluation.
- A panel of educators reviewed the content, structure, and relevance of the survey questionnaire to
confirm that it effectively measured the intended aspects.
- Their feedback was incorporated to refine the instrument, ensuring it aligned with the study’s
objectives and accurately examined the perceived impact of AI on the academic performance of pre-
service elementary teachers.
CHAPTER IV
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Commonly Used AI Tools by Pre-service Elementary teachers

- As shown in Table 1, a significant number of respondents mentioned ChatGPT (39) times as their
most commonly used AI tool. Meta AI was mentioned 20 times, and Cici was mentioned 19 times,
highlighting the important role these tools play in supporting academic activities. Meanwhile,
Quillbot was mentioned 5 times, and Google AI, Photo AI, Chatbot, and Ginger Grammar were
each mentioned once. Although these tools were rarely cited, their presence still contributed to
assisting pre-service elementary teachers in completing their academic tasks.
- These findings align with the study conducted by Sidoti et al. (2025), which reported that in the
United States, the proportion of teens using ChatGPT for schoolwork increased to 26%, compared
to other AI tools. This data is based on a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, revealing
that in 2023, 13% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 used ChatGPT for their schoolwork, which rose to
26% in 2024.
- Furthermore, the 2024 Global Student AI Survey by the Digital Education Council found that 86%
of students surveyed reported using AI in their studies. The survey, which involved 3,839
bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. students across 16 countries, also revealed that 66% of respondents
used ChatGPT specifically for academic purposes.
- Other widely used tools included Grammarly and CoPilot, each used by 25% of the surveyed
students.
Effects of AI Tools on the Academic Performance of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers

- Pre-service elementary teachers often use AI tools in their schoolwork. Some rely on them heavily,
while others use them mainly to gather ideas or acquire knowledge.
- The use of these AI tools can positively or negatively affect their academic performance, depending
on how they are used. Their responses to questions about the effects of AI tools on their academic
performance revealed several recurring themes, which are thematically listed below. To ensure
anonymity, codes have been used instead of the respondents' real names.

Positive Impact on Academic Performance

A significant number of respondents reported that AI tools improve or enhance their academic
performance by making schoolwork easier, providing useful information, and helping with assignments.

‘’ It helps me a lot to get/know the information that I need.’’ (BEED 2AB3)

‘’AI tools help me a lot when it comes to my academic performance.’’ (BEED 2AB9)

‘’It helps to gather information that helps my assignment and increase my knowledge.’’ (BEED
2AB11)

‘’ It helps to boost and enhance my academic performance.’’ (BEED 2AB17)

‘’ It helps me a lot because when I have a question or if I can’t understand the lesson, I used ChatGPT
to ask something about our topic.’’ (BEED 3AB27)

‘’ AI tools help me organize notes saving student time and effort.’’ (BEED 3AB33)

- Using AI tools has greatly helped students do better in school. Many students said that AI makes
school tasks easier and helps them get better grades.
- These tools help by making paperwork simpler, giving helpful ideas and information, and saving
time.
- This matches what Eltahir et al. (2024) found, showing that AI helps students stay interested, learn
better, and makes teachers' jobs easier.
- Mallillin (2024) also found that AI improves how students learn and supports their academic
success.

Negative Impact (Over-reliance and Dependency)

- Another recurring theme revealed by the respondents is their dependency on AI tools, leading to
reduced critical thinking and over-reliance, which can negatively affect their academic performance.

‘’ Due to AI, I usually get too dependent on this type of technology, that’s why it really affects my
academic performance.’’ (BEED 2AB8)

‘’ Based on my own experience, in making essays, I used Meta AI and Cici because I’m too lazy to think.’’
(BEED 2AB10)

‘’ Being not resourceful because through AI tools, I didn’t search for any tools for searching, I only based
what AI answers give me.’’ (BEED 3AB24)
"In using AI tools, it affected my academic performance in a way that it can make me too dependent on them,
which affects my ability to think and learn on my own." (BEED 3AB43)

- Although AI tools make schoolwork easier for students, relying on them too much can harm their
learning and performance.
- This is similar to Gerlich’s (2025) study, which showed that younger students who used AI tools
more often had lower critical thinking skills than older students who didn’t depend on them as
much.
- The study points out that using AI too much can affect how students think and learn on their own.
- While AI can help with school, too much use may reduce important skills like thinking deeply,
being creative, and learning independently—skills that are very important for success in school and
in future careers.
-

Ease of Access to Information

Accessing information on a wide range of topics is quick and easy with AI tools. Respondents
highlighted how these tools simplify information retrieval, enhancing their ability to complete tasks,
understand topics and grasp various subjects more effectively.

‘’AI tools help me in my schoolwork by giving me ideas and information that is hard for me to
understand on my own.’’ (BEED 3AB34)

‘’It makes my homework a lot easier.’’ (BEED 2AB14)

‘’It helps me a lot to search for concrete explanations, meanings, and definitions.’’ (BEED 3AB37)

- AI tools make it very easy and fast for students to find information. This is a big help in today’s
digital world, where having quick access to knowledge is very important. Whether students need
help with homework, ideas, or understanding terms, AI tools can provide answers right away.
- This study’s results are similar to those of Vieriu and Petrea (2025), who found that 83.5% of
students said AI helps them learn better by giving fast access to learning materials, saving time, and
helping them stay organized—making the learning process smoother and more effective.

Improved Critical Thinking and Knowledge Expansion

Some respondents mentioned that AI tools enhance their critical thinking or expand their knowledge.

‘’The Meta AI affects my academic performance by helping me widen my understanding and critical
thinking.’’(BEED 3AB22)

‘’It helps to enhance my knowledge. I learned new things.’’ (BEED 2AB18)

- Using AI tools in education can help students think more deeply and learn more. But if they depend
too much on AI or use it the wrong way, it might hurt their ability to think for themselves. AI makes
it easy to get information on many topics, which can help students do better in school.
- This matches what Darwin et al. (2023) found in their study, where students said AI helped them
with critical thinking, especially in research and analyzing ideas.
- Lawasi et al. (2024) also said that AI tools support critical thinking by offering personalized lessons
and interactive learning activities.
Negative Impact on Reasoning Skills

Over-reliance on AI tools could weaken reasoning skills. Some respondents expressed concerns that
depending too much on AI may reduce their ability to reason critically.

‘’AI tools affect my academic performance in terms of reasoning; AI tools weaken my reasoning
skills.’’(BEED 3AB38)

‘’ The disadvantages is that AI tools weakens my reasoning skills and other academic aspects.’’
(BEED 3AB39)

- Depending too much on AI can make it harder for students to think for themselves, even with
simple tasks. This is one of the downsides of using AI in education—it might reduce students’
ability to reason on their own. Students should use AI wisely and not rely on it all the time so they
can improve their own thinking skills.
- Mowbray (2025) said that AI tools like ChatGPT might lower our ability to solve problems.
- Gerlich (2025) also noted that using AI too much can weaken critical thinking and make it harder to
analyze information.

Advvantages onn using AI tools

Pre-service elementary teachers utilized AI tools in their academic endeavors, such as answering
assignments, gathering ideas for projects, searching for definitions or explanations, and assisting with research
work. This made their school life easier and, in turn, became an advantage for them. Their responses to the
question about the advantages of using AI tools in their studies revealed several recurring themes, which are
thematically listed below. To ensure anonymity, codes have been used in place of the respondents' real names.

Simplifying and Speeding Up Academic Tasks

Many respondents emphasized how AI tools help them by making their tasks easier, faster, and more
convenient.

‘’It makes my task simpler and easier.’’ (BEED 2AB1)

‘’Using AI tools, I discovered that it helps us to make our activities easier.’’ (BEED 2AB3)

‘’AI tools help in answering assignments, activities, and other school works, making them easier and faster.’’
(BEED 2AB19)

- Pre-service elementary teachers shared that AI tools make hard tasks easier to handle. They said AI
helps save time because it gives quick access to information. Whether they are doing assignments,
activities, or other schoolwork, AI tools make things more convenient, which helps them do better
in school.
- This matches the findings of De la Vall and Araya (2023), who found that AI speeds up learning,
saves time, and improves how students learn.
- Likewise, Gerlich (2025) said AI can handle both simple and difficult tasks, helping students focus
more on thinking and understanding.

Providing Quick and Vast Access to Information

 A significant number of respondents pointed out that AI tools offer a quick way to gather a wide range of
information, helping them complete work more efficiently.

‘’In just one click, you get what you need to know.’’(BEED 3AB21)

‘’Easy to collect information and data, easy to use, no need for internet access, can analyze large amounts of
data, and provide insight.’’ (BEED 3AB43)

‘’Easy life and one click away.’’ (BEED 3AB29)

- Using AI tools to find information is quicker and easier than going to the library, which takes more
time. Pre-service elementary teachers said AI gives them answers right away. This convenience
helps students and can boost their academic performance.
- Vieriu and Petrea (2025) also said that AI tools help students learn better by giving fast access to
learning materials and saving time when searching for information.

Enhancing Knowledge and Vocabulary

Another recurring theme revealed among the respondents' answers is that utilizing AI tools enhances
knowledge and vocabulary. Several respondents noted that using AI tools helped them expand their
knowledge, learn new information, and improve their English vocabulary.

‘’I gained more knowledge and it was easy to discover new knowledge.’’ (BEED 2AB9)

‘’In using ChatGPT, I’ve discovered some advantages, such as improving my English vocabulary and
critical thinking skills.’’ (BEED 3AB23)

‘’It enhances my knowledge and gives full information about unfamiliar words.’’ (BEED 3AB45)

- One of the benefits of using AI tools, based on the responses from students, is that it helps them
learn more about specific topics or a wide range of subjects. It also helps improve their English
vocabulary.
- These results are similar to the findings of Eltahir et al. (2024), who said that AI tools help students
learn better.
- Chingakham et al. (2024) also found that AI tools help high school students improve their English
vocabulary more than traditional learning methods.

Assisting in Critical Thinking and Decision-Making

Some respondents recognized that AI tools supported their critical thinking development and helped them make
decisions more efficiently.

‘’AI helps enhance critical thinking and understanding while reading.’’ (BEED 3AB22)

‘’Helps with quick decision-making and task completion.’’ (BEED 3AB37)

‘’Increased and improved decision-making.’’ (BEED 3AB46)

- AI can help people make decisions by giving useful suggestions based on the information it is
given. Pre-service elementary teachers said that using AI tools helps improve their critical thinking
and makes it easier for them to decide on things. They see this as one of the benefits of using AI.
 - Lawasi et al. (2024) also said that AI can help students think more critically. However, while AI
helps with decision-making, it needs to be used carefully.
- Hassani and Unger et al. (2020) warned that relying too much on AI can weaken people’s ability
to think and decide on their own.

Improving Academic Output and Accuracy

A few students mentioned that AI tools enhanced the quality of their work by minimizing mistakes,
improving grammar, and providing coherent answers.

‘’It improved accuracy and performed tasks with high precision, minimizing mistakes.’’ (BEED
3AB33)

"AI tools can enhance paper works in terms of grammar fluency and many more." (BEED 3AB39)

- Pre-service elementary teachers said that using AI tools in their schoolwork helps improve the
quality of their work, especially in grammar and giving correct answers. They saw this as one of the
benefits of using AI.
- This matches the findings of Yoon et al. (2019), who found that students using AI platforms like
ChatGPT did better in school than those who didn’t.
- Takeda et al. (2018) also shared that AI tools help students learn languages better, give more
accurate assessments, and offer personalized help, all of which led to better academic results.

Supporting Personalized Learning and Research Work

Some respondents appreciated how AI tools provided personalized assistance and helped in research
activities, making their academic journey smoother.

It is convenient to use, not time-consuming, and can be used in different aspects such as getting
information, answering activities, generating images, and more." (BEED 2AB12)

"AI tools are beneficial, helping with personalized learning." (BEED 3AB31)

- Pre-service elementary teachers shared that using AI tools helps them learn in a more personalized
way and supports their research, which they find very helpful.
- This is similar to the study by Klimova et al. (2025), which looked at how AI affects students’
learning and well-being in college. The study showed that AI gives students more personalized
learning by adjusting to their needs and letting them learn at their own pace. This not only helps
students do better in school but also reduces stress and supports their emotional well-being.

Disadvantages of using AI tools

Pre-service elementary teachers also reported some disadvantages associated with using AI tools in
their academic work. While AI tools offer convenience, some respondents expressed concerns about their
over-reliance on these tools, which could negatively impact their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The disadvantages mentioned by the respondents highlighted potential drawbacks, such as diminished
cognitive development and the risk of becoming too dependent on AI for tasks that require independent
thought. These concerns are thematically summarized below, with respondent codes used to maintain
anonymity.

Over-Reliance on AI Tools
 A major concern expressed by many respondents was the over-reliance on AI tools, which they felt led to a
reduction in independent thinking and academic effort. Several respondents pointed out that AI tools, such as
ChatGPT, often replace personal engagement with academic tasks, making students lazy and less capable of
completing tasks on their own.

‘’The disadvantages of using AI tools is that we always rely on AI and we almost forget that we have
our own opinion and we forget that there’s a book that we can seek other information.’’(BEED 2AB3)

‘’ I’m being too dependent on the AI, it making me feel lazy to think my own idea.’’ (BEED 3AB32)

- Respondents shared that depending too much on AI stops students from learning how to solve
problems on their own or fully understand their lessons, since they often use AI for quick answers
instead of thinking for themselves.
- This matches the study by Gerlich (2025), which found that younger people who used AI a lot
scored lower in critical thinking than older ones who didn’t rely on it as much. This shows that
using AI too much can harm thinking skills.
- Similarly, Ahmad et al. (2023) said that relying too much on AI can affect decision-making and
make people lazy.

Decreased Creativity and Originality

Another disadvantage identified was that using AI tools could stifle creativity and originality. Respondents
expressed concerns that relying on AI for academic tasks leads to a lack of effort in producing original
thoughts.

‘’The disadvantages of using AI tools is lack of originality and lack of creativity’’ (BEED 3AB46)

‘’It makes me lazy. It can weaken my reasoning skills and other academic aspects. AI tools are the
reason why we students are not able to reason out.’’ (BEED 3AB39)

- Using AI tools to finish assignments might stop students from being creative and thinking on their
own, which are important for solving problems and learning more.
- This goes against the findings of Schiel et al. (2023), where 50% of students said AI tools helped
boost their creativity, while 28% felt it reduced it. However, the pre-service elementary teachers in
this study felt that relying too much on AI lowered their creativity and originality, making it harder
for them to come up with new ideas and think deeply.

Inaccurate Information and Reduced Critical Thinking

Respondents also raised concerns about the accuracy of information provided by AI tools, noting that
AI can sometimes provide incorrect or irrelevant answers. This issue can lead to a lack of trust in the tools and
diminish the value of academic work.

‘’One of the disadvantages I have discovered in using AI tools is that sometimes the information given
is not right or appropriate.’’ (BEED 2AB12)

‘’Some of the information from AI tools are not accurate, individuals who often use AI tools are becoming
more dependent on using AI tools.’’ (BEED 3AB34)

- Although AI tools make it easy to find information quickly, they also have some downsides. One
problem is that they can give incorrect or misleading answers. This can cause students to trust the
 information too easily without checking if it’s true or comparing it with other sources. This issue is
known as “artificial hallucination,” where AI gives false information that sounds correct. Because of
this, students should always double-check the information they get from AI before using it for
schoolwork.

Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Several respondents pointed out that the use of AI tools could lead to academic dishonesty, as students
might rely on AI-generated content without proper understanding or originality. This creates opportunities for
cheating and plagiarism, which can negatively affect academic integrity.

‘’The disadvantages is that AI tools can support cheating, students rely too much, and it can cause
laziness in their academic.’’ (BEED 3AB47)

“Plagiarism and lead to cheating.” (BEED 3AB30)

- Using AI tools can lead to problems like cheating and plagiarism. When students depend too much
on AI to do their assignments, they might be tempted to use AI-generated answers as their own,
which takes away from honest learning and effort. Although AI can help students learn better and
finish homework, it also raises concerns about doing schoolwork honestly.
- Chami (2023) noted that AI has been linked to academic cheating for a long time. Students should
avoid copying answers directly from AI and instead use the ideas to write their own responses in
their own words.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents a summary of the key findings derived from the interpretation of the data collected in this
study, followed by the conclusions drawn from these findings. Based on the results, recommendations are also
provided to guide future actions and research on the perceived effects of AI tools on the academic performance
of pre-service elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT.

Summary of Findings

This study aims to examine the perceived effects of AI tools on the academic performance of pre-service
elementary teachers at DEBESMSCAT. The findings are summarized as follows:

1.) ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Cici are among the most commonly used AI tools by pre-service
elementary teachers.
2.) Utilizing AI tools has positive effects on the academic performance of pre-service elementary
teachers. It enhances their academic performance by making schoolwork easier, providing useful
information, and helping them with assignments. Further, it improves their critical thinking and
expands their knowledge.
3.) Utilizing AI tools also has negative effects on the academic performance of pre-service elementary
teachers. Dependency on AI tools leads to reduced critical thinking and over-reliance, which
negatively affect their academic performance.
4.) Utilizing AI tools provides several advantages for pre-service elementary teachers. It simplifies and
speeds up academic tasks, provides quick and vast access to information, enhances knowledge and
vocabulary, assists in critical thinking and decision-making, improves academic output and
accuracy, and supports personalized learning and research work.
 5.) Utilizing AI tools also has several disadvantages for pre-service elementary teachers. These include
over-reliance on AI tools, decreased creativity and originality, inaccurate information, reduced
critical thinking, and the potential for academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

Conclusions

This study explored the perceived effects of AI tools on the academic performance of pre-service elementary
teachers at DEBESMSCAT. The findings revealed that AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Meta AI, Cici, etc, have a
significant effect on enhancing academic performance by making tasks easier, improving critical thinking, and
expanding knowledge. However, the study also highlighted the negative effects, including over-reliance on
these tools, which can lead to decreased creativity, reduced critical thinking, and potential academic dishonesty.
While AI tools offer numerous advantages, including faster access to information and personalized learning
support, their overuse poses challenges to students' intellectual independence and academic integrity.
Therefore, it is crucial to strike a balance in using AI tools to enhance learning while ensuring the development
of critical thinking, creativity, and academic honesty among pre-service elementary teachers.

Recommendations

Based on the foregoing findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are hereby
suggested:

1.) It is recommended that pre-service elementary teachers be encouraged to use AI tools as

supplementary resources rather than relying solely on them for academic tasks. This can help
maintain a balance between technology use and independent thinking.
2.) Educational institutions should integrate training and awareness about the potential drawbacks of
over-reliance on AI tools, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking, creativity, and academic
integrity.
3.) Teachers and educators should develop strategies to encourage critical thinking and problem-
solving among students, ensuring that AI tools enhance, rather than replace, their cognitive abilities.
4.) Efforts should be made to guide students on verifying the information provided by AI tools,
especially to avoid reliance on inaccurate data, which could negatively impact their academic
performance.
5.) Educational institutions should implement measures to discourage academic dishonesty, such as
plagiarism, that may arise from overuse or misuse of AI tools, promoting honest and original work
among students.
6.) Teachers should emphasize the importance of creativity and originality in academic work,
encouraging students to develop and express their ideas independently, even when using AI tools
for support.

NOTE:

● Don’t say “I DON’T KNOW” instead say, “that’s an interesting question. Based on our research, a
possible explanation is…”
● Don’t say “I DON’T HAVE TIME TO LOOK INTO THAT” instead, say “That falls outside the
scope of our study, but it represents an intriguing area for future research.”
● Don’t say “OUR RESEARCH PROVES THAT” instead, say “Based on findings, the results
suggest that.”
● Don’t say “THAT’S JUST MY OPINION” instead, say “Based on the literature and our analysis,
the results indicate.”
● Don’t say “I JUST CHOOSE THIS TOPIIC BECAUSE IT WAS EASY” instead, say “I selected
this topic because it addresses a significant gap in the existing body of research.”