PID_23_24_200_Anexo 1. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) TO STRENGTHEN THE CRITICAL THINKING COMPETENCE IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability of a machine to exhibit the same capabilities as humans, such reasoning, learning, creativity and the ability to plan. Its future applications are expected to imply great changes, but AI is already present in our lives, despite the possible risks that its inappropriate use may entail. Therefore, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, states that we should focus our efforts on a) learning with AI, b) learning about AI and c) preparing for AI. They also point out its great potential for developing innovative teaching and learning practices. For all these reasons and taking into account the opportunities that AI presents for teaching innovation, we believed that it should be introduced in classrooms bringing students closer to this new technology, and it could be a good tool for critical thinking. The objective of this project was to strengthen the critical thinking competence (G15) of Agricultural Engineering students through AI, using primary-secondary sources of information that will allow them to refute/approve the solution provided by AI to solve a given problem. A linear methodology was used and in doing so, we proposed a real problem to our students. Then the students using AI sources of information searched for solutions to the given problem. Then they received instructions to solve the problem. Finally, they should refused or approved the solution provided by AI, using critical thinking. The flipped classroom was used as a methodology to search with AI a solution to a given engineering problem. By checking, validating and confirming the results, they contrasted the results provided by AI, strengthening the G15 critical thinking competence. An e-rubric was used to evaluate the objectives, aligning the evaluation with the competences to be acquired by the student. The results showed students different familiarity with AI technology. Master students showed higher knowledge of AI than Degree students. Moreover, we teach and even present for the first time, students and teachers to AI technology. The students were fascinated with AI and expressed the huge opportunities that this technology could bring to many of the activities that they face while learning. Two advantage students, not the majority of them, even started to give instructions to AI and exploited its results. Some teachers also had first contact with this technology and expressed many doubts and concerns in the future of the teaching and learning process considering AI and how to evaluate academic activities that can be solved quickly with AI such bibliographic review, redaction, etc. We concluded that this technology will move the teaching-learning process to a new context and teachers have to adapt their evaluations to this new area.