The Effect of Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Project-Based Learning on Junior High School Students’ Digital Literacy

Abstract

Digital literacy is essential for students when dealing with various forms of online information, particularly in learning the human reproductive system, where health-related myths and inaccurate information are frequently encountered. This study aimed to determine the effect of Artificial Intelligence-assisted Project-Based Learning on junior high school students’ digital literacy in science learning. The research employed a quasi-experimental method with a nonequivalent control group design. The sample consisted of 72 ninth-grade students divided into an experimental class and a control class, with 36 students in each group. The experimental class learned through project-based activities supported by ChatGPT and Canva AI, while the control class received conventional instruction. The research instrument was a multiple-choice digital literacy test that had been validated by experts and empirically tested for validity and reliability. The results showed that the post-test mean score of the experimental class was higher than that of the control class. The Mann–Whitney U test indicated a significance value of 0.044, showing a significant difference between the two groups. The experimental class achieved a moderate N-Gain of 0.449, while the control class achieved a low N-Gain of 0.074. The effect size, measured using Cohen’s d, was 0.681, indicating a moderate effect. These findings suggest that Artificial Intelligence-assisted Project-Based Learning positively affects students’ digital literacy, particularly in helping them search, evaluate, verify, and communicate digital information more critically when learning the human reproductive system.