ChatGPT to Support Critical Thinking in Construction-Management Students

Construction engineering education is constantly evolving and adapting to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (IA). Generative AI applications have become a valuable tool in helping students better understand information. Although generative AI development has been ongoing for several decades, its importance in higher education, especially in fields like Civil Engineering and Architecture, has significantly grown in recent years. This study seeks to explore how generative AI can be effectively used to enhance the development of critical thinking skills. To achieve this, the AI program ChatGPT was introduced to civil engineering students at Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) to assist them in their learning processes. The study allowed for the evaluation of the program's impact on the learning process and, consequently, on the development of critical thinking skills. Through surveys, data were collected from students of different academic years, providing insights into their development of critical thinking under various circumstances, with a qualitative focus on their perception of implementing AI as a learning method. Additionally, the study analyzes potential factors influencing the relationship between AI usage and academic performance. Through this research, a comprehensive understanding of the implications of AI on critical thinking in construction engineering education can be achieved. This present study is still in an early stage, so the preliminary results allow us to get an idea of how AI can help develop critical thinking by being used to gather information, learn new content, and form one's own conclusions that have a strong and clear foundation.