Generative AI for Collaborative Learning: Fostering Critical Thinking in Teacher Education.

Background: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, present both opportunities and concerns in education. They can support collaborative knowledge construction by providing systematic problem‐solving support. However, a strong focus on critical thinking and validity judgem...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 1 - 17
Autores principales: Lehtinen, Auli, Channa, Faisal, Näykki, Piia, Ahlström, Emilia, Hiljanen, Mikko
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Jun2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=194050900&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 194050900
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        02664909
        6M1
      jtl: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
      issn: 02664909
      maglogo: Y
    pubinfo:
      dt: Jun2026
      vid: 42
      iid: 3
      pid: 480
      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
    artinfo:
      ui:
        194050900
        194050900
        194050900
        10.1002/jcal.70256
        194050900
      ppf: 1
      ppct: 16
      formats:
      tig:
        atl: Generative AI for Collaborative Learning: Fostering Critical Thinking in Teacher Education.
      aug:
        au:
          Lehtinen, Auli
          Channa, Faisal
          Näykki, Piia
          Ahlström, Emilia
          Hiljanen, Mikko
        affil: Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
      sug:
        subj:
          Artificial Intelligence, Generative Utilization
          Collaboration
          Learning Methods
          Critical Thinking Evaluation
          Teachers Education
          Teaching Methods
          Sustainable Growth
          Cues
          Human
          Funding Source
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Finland
          Exploratory Research
          Nonexperimental Studies
          Colleges and Universities
          Curriculum
          Learning Environment
          Descriptive Statistics
          Comparative Studies
          Data Analysis Software
          Mann-Whitney U Test
          Judgment
          Problem Solving
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as ChatGPT, present both opportunities and concerns in education. They can support collaborative knowledge construction by providing systematic problem‐solving support. However, a strong focus on critical thinking and validity judgement is needed. GenAI's role in collaborative learning remains underexplored, especially in fostering critical thinking. Objectives: This study examines GenAI's role in a collaborative task where 75 pre‐service teachers co‐create lesson plans on sustainable development. Methods: Process mining is used to identify sequential patterns that indicate critical thinking. These patterns draw on video analysis and on categorising collaborative groups into high and low performers based on lesson‐plan quality. We analyse different prompt types (conceptual, pedagogical, and refining prompts). We also analyse activities, such as writing, editing, searching for other online sources, and copy‐pasting information. The sequential interplay of these activities reveals important aspects of critical engagement with GenAI. Results and Conclusions: The results showed that participants frequently engaged in an iterative process of prompt refinement, indicating reflective use of AI. They also integrated conceptual and pedagogical aspects in their prompting. High‐performing groups demonstrated deeper engagement in activities such as iterative writing and corroborating GenAI content with other online resources. In contrast, low‐performing groups showed repetitive prompting and reliance on AI‐generated content. The results illustrate GenAI's role in collaborative and reflective learning and call for targeted interventions to support critical thinking. Educational interventions should focus, for example, on prompt refinement, guided reflection, and verification of GenAI information against other sources. Theoretically and methodologically, our analyses provide a foundation for further research. Lay Summary: What is currently known about this topic? ○GenAI can support collaborative knowledge construction on complex topics by providing problem‐solving support.○GenAI can be used to support teachers work, for example, in lesson planning.○Responsible use of GenAI requires pedagogical approaches that are based on critical thinking and validity checking.What does this paper add? ○The results shed light on the under‐researched topic of GenAI tools in collaborative learning contexts, with a focus on critical thinking.○By analysing critical aspects of collaborative learning with GenAI, we can better understand how to meaningfully engage with GenAI in educational contexts.○This study systematically analyses the role of corroborating GenAI with other online resources, which has not been sufficiently addressed with GenAI‐based inquiry.Implications for practice/or policy ○The findings inform instructional strategies that encourage critical thinking in relation to GenAI.○Educational interventions should focus, for example, on prompting strategies, guided reflection in a collaborative setting, and validation of GenAI information against other sources.○Such strategies can prevent overreliance on GenAI.○Teacher education should multifacetedly address the role of GenAI.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N