A study published in a Nature subsidiary journal suggests that using large language models like ChatGPT can significantly enhance the academic performance of students in the K12 stage (i.e., primary and secondary school students), with overall learning effects improving by 86.7%. This research compiled 59 relevant studies, revealing the enormous potential of AI in education.
The research team carefully selected 51 relevant studies for meta-analysis after rigorous screening and analysis. These studies all adopted randomized double-blind experimental methods and disclosed their data to ensure the scientific rigor and reliability of the conclusions. The research scope covered multiple disciplines, including language learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), among others. The results showed that not only did students' academic performance improve significantly after using ChatGPT, but their higher-order thinking skills also improved markedly.
In particular, the study found that students who used ChatGPT saw an average improvement of 0.867 standard deviations in their academic performance across different subjects. Additionally, their higher-order thinking skills improved by 0.457 standard deviations, indicating enhanced abilities in reasoning, summarization, and innovative application of knowledge.
Interestingly, ChatGPT not only improves students' academic performance but also alleviates their mental stress and enhances their enthusiasm for learning. The study pointed out that, especially in skill-related courses, ChatGPT's instant feedback and targeted guidance were particularly significant, helping students master complex knowledge more quickly. Moreover, although the long-term effectiveness was relatively weaker than short-term use, the overall trend remained positive.
Although parents and teachers may worry that students will become overly reliant on AI tools and affect their independent thinking ability, the study emphasized that the participating students used ChatGPT under supervised conditions during the experiments. The auxiliary role of AI mainly involved providing feedback and guidance to students rather than replacing their thinking. Therefore, reasonable utilization of AI tools and appropriate guidance for students are essential to truly harness their advantages in education.
This study has demonstrated the broad application prospects of AI in the field of education, especially the importance of enhancing student learning outcomes and cultivating higher-order thinking skills.