Artificial Intelligence and Critical Thinking Among Public Senior Secondary Science Students in Ipaja-Ayobo, Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

The introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into science education has created new opportunities for enhancing students’ higher-order cognitive skills, particularly critical thinking. This study examined the relationship between AI integration and critical thinking among science students in public senior secondary schools in Ipaja-Ayobo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State, Nigeria. A quantitative correlational research design was adopted, and data collected from 150 science students selected from five public secondary schools using a validated structured questionnaire. The instrument measured students’ exposure to AI-assisted learning tools such as virtual laboratories, simulations, and chatbot-based learning environments, and key dimensions of critical thinking, including analysis, inference, evaluation, and decision-making. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation, and simple linear regression at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a strong and statistically significant positive relationship between AI integration and students’ critical thinking skills (r = 0.682, p < 0.05). Regression analysis further indicated that AI integration accounted for 46.5% of the variance in students’ critical thinking ability. The study concluded that meaningful integration of AI-driven learning tools significantly enhance critical thinking among science students, even within resource-constrained educational contexts. It recommended the strategic incorporation of AI-supported instructional tools and targeted teacher training to promote inquiry-based learning and higher-order cognitive development in secondary school science education.