From Peers to Prompts: A Data-Driven Analysis of Social Connectedness in Modern IT Education
Main Article Content
Abstract
The rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools into higher education has transformed how students seek information, complete tasks, and engage with their academic environments. This study investigates the relationship between AI tool usage and social connectedness among undergraduate Information Technology (IT) students in the Philippines. Grounded in social interdependence theory and academic belonging literature, the study examines whether increasing reliance on AI platforms such as ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, and Google Gemini is associated with changes in students' help-seeking and peer interaction practices in educational contexts. Using a descriptive quantitative design and cross-sectional survey method, data were collected from 45 IT students enrolled in a higher education institution in Cebu, Philippines. The research instrument, a researcher-developed questionnaire administered via Google Forms, measured four constructs: AI usage frequency, peer collaboration practices, learning preferences, and perceived impact of AI on social connectedness. Descriptive statistics including frequency counts, percentages, and weighted means were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that while students reported generally high levels of social connectedness (M = 5.46), academic interaction patterns showed a moderate composite mean (M = 3.85), with over 64% preferring to solve problems independently. Approximately 40% reported consulting AI instead of peers when seeking academic help. These findings suggest a tension between perceived social belonging and actual peer engagement behaviors. Although AI tools are viewed positively for academic performance and independent learning, their substitutive use may quietly erode the human connections integral to effective learning communities. The study recommends intentional pedagogical strategies that position AI as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, peer collaboration in IT education.
Article Details
Section
COPYRIGHT
Submission of a manuscript implies: that the work described has not been published before, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; that if and when the manuscript is accepted for publication, the authors agree to automatic transfer of the copyright to the publisher.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work
- The journal allows the author(s) to retain publishing rights without restrictions.
- The journal allows the author(s) to hold the copyright without restrictions.
References
• Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497
• Carr, N. (2010). The shallows: What the Internet is doing to our brains. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Chan, C. K. Y., & Tsi, L. H. Y. (2023). The AI revolution in education: Will AI replace or assist teachers in higher education? arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.01185
• Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajtas.20160501.11
• Hundhausen, C. D., Agrawal, A., & Agarwal, P. (2013). Talking about code: Integrating pedagogical code reviews into early computing courses. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 13(3), Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1145/2499947.2499951
• Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1989). Cooperation and competition: Theory and research. Interaction Book Company.
• Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. T. (1999). Making cooperative learning work. Theory Into Practice, 38(2), 67–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405849909543834
• Kasneci, E., Seßler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Günnemann, S., Hüllermeier, E., Krusche, S., Kutyniok, G., Michaeli, T., Nerdel, C., Pfeffer, J., Poquet, O., Sailer, M., Schmidt, A., Seidel, T., Stadler, M., Weller, J., Kuhn, J., & Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102274
• Putnam, R. D. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon & Schuster.
• Resnick, M. (2017). Lifelong kindergarten: Cultivating creativity through projects, passion, peers, and play. MIT Press.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
• Strayhorn, T. L. (2012). College students' sense of belonging: A key to educational success for all students. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203118924
• Tinto, V. (1997). Classrooms as communities: Exploring the educational character of student persistence. Journal of Higher Education, 68(6), 599–623. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.1997.11779003
• Turkle, S. (2015). Reclaiming conversation: The power of talk in a digital age. Penguin Press.
• Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
• Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education – where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16, Article 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0