The affordances of artificial intelligence-based tools for supporting 21st-century skills: A systematic review of empirical research in higher education.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	The affordances of artificial intelligence-based tools for supporting 21st-century skills: A systematic review of empirical research in higher education.
Authors:	Celik, Ismail¹ ismail.celik@oulu.fi, Gedrimiene, Egle¹, Siklander, Signe¹, Muukkonen, Hanni¹
Source:	Australasian Journal of Educational Technology. 2024, Vol. 40 Issue 3, p1-20. 20p.
Subject Terms:	Artificial intelligence, Higher education research, Critical thinking, Intelligent tutoring systems, Information & communication technologies, Web databases, Chatbots
Abstract:	Twenty-first-century skills should be integrated into higher education to prepare students for complex working-life challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools have the potential to optimise skill development among higher education students. Therefore, it is important to conceptualise relevant affordances of AI systems for 21st-century skills development in higher education. This study aimed to present an overview of journal articles published in the Web of Science database that specifically addressed the affordances of AI-based tools for 21st-century skills development. Four distinct categories of AI-based tools (intelligent tutoring systems, chatbots, AI-powered dashboards and automated grading systems) were identified as capable of promoting six main 21st-century skills (collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, information and communication technology and problem-solving). The review revealed that the utilisation of AI-based tools might contribute to the simultaneous development of multiple 21st-century skills (e.g., collaboration and critical thinking). The results showed that adaptive feedback from AI plays a significant role as a facilitator in the development of 21st-century skills. Furthermore, the utilisation of diverse functional AI affordances (e.g., prediction and profiling) might contribute to the development of various skills. AI-based technologies appeared to target the 21st-century skills of problem-solving and its subskills the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	Twenty-first-century skills should be integrated into higher education to prepare students for complex working-life challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools have the potential to optimise skill development among higher education students. Therefore, it is important to conceptualise relevant affordances of AI systems for 21st-century skills development in higher education. This study aimed to present an overview of journal articles published in the Web of Science database that specifically addressed the affordances of AI-based tools for 21st-century skills development. Four distinct categories of AI-based tools (intelligent tutoring systems, chatbots, AI-powered dashboards and automated grading systems) were identified as capable of promoting six main 21st-century skills (collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, information and communication technology and problem-solving). The review revealed that the utilisation of AI-based tools might contribute to the simultaneous development of multiple 21st-century skills (e.g., collaboration and critical thinking). The results showed that adaptive feedback from AI plays a significant role as a facilitator in the development of 21st-century skills. Furthermore, the utilisation of diverse functional AI affordances (e.g., prediction and profiling) might contribute to the development of various skills. AI-based technologies appeared to target the 21st-century skills of problem-solving and its subskills the most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	14493098
DOI:	10.14742/ajet.9609