Abstract
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an important technology affecting the development of society and education, and it is crucial to explore AI to enhance students' creativity and learning performance. This research proposes the model and hypothesis based on the resource-based theory and related research. AI of higher education institute (HEI) affects students' learning performance and combines the existing literature to develop measurement tools and to obtain a formal questionnaire after pre-research and received 561 valid questionnaires collected from HEIs in China that have applied AI. Then we used SmartPLS 3.0 to construct a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) for data analysis on the received data samples. The research results show that: 1) HEIs' artificial intelligence capability is a three-order variable and formed by three formative second-order variables such as resources (data, technical, basic resources), skills (technical skills, teaching applications, collaboration competencies), and consciousness (reform, innovation consciousness); 2) HEIs' artificial intelligence capability significantly affects students' self-efficacy and creativity; 3) HEIs' artificial intelligence capability affects students' learning performance via two mediating variables: student creativity and self-efficacy. This study focuses on AI applications within the HEI, confirms the new explanatory power of resource-based theory in technological practices, and deconstructs the intrinsic mechanics, especially in relationships between students' creativity, self-efficacy, and learning performance. This research also puts forward suggestions to reserve and deploy artificial intelligence resources, improve the digital literacy of teachers and students, use AI to drive teaching and learning, and improve students' creativity and learning performance.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The datasets used or analysed during the current study are available from the author on reasonable request.
References
Abu-Al-Aish, A., & Love, S. (2013). Factors influencing students’ acceptance of m-learning: An investigation in higher education. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 14(5), 82–107.
Alghamdi, A., Karpinski, A. C., Lepp, A., & Barkley, J. (2020). Online and face-to-face classroom multitasking and academic performance: Moderated mediation with self-efficacy for self-regulated learning and gender. Computers in Human Behavior, 102, 214–222.
Al Hashimi, S., Al Muwali, A., Zaki, Y., & Mahdi, N. (2019). The effectiveness of social media and multimedia-based pedagogy in enhancing creativity among art, design, and digital media students. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 14(21), 176–190.
Anggraeni, D. M., & Sole, F. B. (2020, April). Developing creative thinking skills of STKIP weetebula students through physics crossword puzzle learning media using eclipse crossword app. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1521(2), 022045. IOP Publishing.
Baek, T. H., & Morimoto, M. (2012). Stay away from me. Journal of Advertising, 41(1), 59–76.
Barney, J. B., Ketchen, D. J., Jr., & Wright, M. (2021). Resource-based theory and the value creation framework. Journal of Management, 47(7), 1936–1955.
Barney, J., Wright, M., & Ketchen, D. J., Jr. (2001). The resource-based view of the firm: Ten years after 1991. Journal of Management, 27(6), 625–641.
Becker, J. M., Klein, K., & Wetzels, M. (2012). Hierarchical latent variable models in PLS-SEM: Guidelines for using reflective-formative type models. Long Range Planning, 45(5–6), 359–394.
Bernard, J., Chang, T. W., Popescu, E., & Graf, S. (2017). Learning style Identifier: Improving the precision of learning style identification through computational intelligence algorithms. Expert Systems with Applications, 75, 94–108.
Bian, J.S., and Dong, Y.Q. (2020). Changes and lessons from Japan's education informatization in Society 5.0 era. Journal of Distance Education, 38(06), 32–40.
Boden, M. A. (1998). Creativity and artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence, 103(1–2), 347–356.
Campbell, S., Greenwood, M., Prior, S., Shearer, T., Walkem, K., Young, S., … Walker, K. (2020). Purposive sampling: Complex or simple? Research case examples. Journal of Research in Nursing, 25(8), 652–661.
Celik, V., & Yesilyurt, E. (2013). Attitudes to technology, perceived computer self-efficacy and computer anxiety as predictors of computer supported education. Computers & Education, 60(1), 148–158.
Chen, I. S. (2017). Computer self-efficacy, learning performance, and the mediating role of learning engagement. Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 362–370.
Ciolacu, M., Tehrani, A. F., Binder, L., & Svasta, P. M. (2018, October). Education 4.0-artificial intelligence assisted higher education: early recognition system with machine learning to support students' success. In 2018 IEEE 24th International Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic Packaging (SIITME) (pp. 23–30). IEEE.
Chen, D., Esperança, J. P., & Wang, S. (2022). The impact of artificial intelligence on firm performance: an application of the resource-based view to e-commerce firms. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 884830.
Colchester, K., Hagras, H., Alghazzawi, D., & Aldabbagh, G. (2017). A survey of artificial intelligence techniques employed for adaptive educational systems within e-learning platforms. Journal of Artificial Intelligence and Soft Computing Research, 7(1), 47–64.
Crittenden, W. F., Biel, I. K., & Lovely, W. A., III. (2019). Embracing digitalization: Student learning and new technologies. Journal of Marketing Education, 41(1), 5–14.
David, H. J. J. O. E. P. (2015). Why are there still so many jobs? The history and future of workplace automation. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(3), 3–30.
El-Bishouty, M. M., Aldraiweesh, A., Alturki, U., Tortorella, R., Yang, J., Chang, T. W., & Graf, S. (2019). Use of Felder and Silverman learning style model for online course design. Educational Technology Research and Development, 67(1), 161–177.
Feng, S., & Law, N. (2021). Mapping artificial intelligence in education research: A network-based keyword analysis. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 31(2), 277–303.
Flink, N. A., & Cooper-Larsen, D. (2020). Using an artificial real-time response audience in online sales education to improve self-efficacy in sales presentations: An online classroom innovation. Atlantic Marketing Journal, 9(2), 2.
Guilherme, A. (2019). AI and education: The importance of teacher and student relations. Ai & Society, 34(1), 47–54.
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2–24.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation modelling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). Sage.
Holmstrom, J. (2021). From AI to digital transformation: The AI readiness framework. Business Horizons, 65(3), 329–339.
Huang, X. (2021). Aims for cultivating students' key competencies based on artificial intelligence education in China. Education and Information Technologies, 1–21.
Huang, X., Zou, D., Cheng, G., Chen, X., & Xie, H. (2021). Trends, research issues and applications of artificial intelligence in language education. Educational Technology & Society, 24(3), 238–255.
Hu, X. Y., Xu, H. Y., & Chen, Z. X. (2020). An empirical study on the relationship between learners' information literacy, online learning engagement and learning performance. China e-Learning, 3, 77–84.
Kaplan, A., & Haenlein, M. (2019). Siri, Siri, in my hand: Who's the fairest in the land? On the interpretations, illustrations, and implications of artificial intelligence. Business Horizons, 62(1), 15–25.
Kim, J., Lee, A., & Ryu, H. (2013). Personality and its effects on learning performance: Design guidelines for an adaptive e-learning system based on a user model. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 43(5), 450–461.
Koć-Januchta, M. M., Schönborn, K. J., Tibell, L. A., Chaudhri, V. K., & Heller, H. C. (2020). Engaging with biology by asking questions: Investigating students’ interaction and learning with an artificial intelligence-enriched textbook. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 58(6), 1190–1224.
Kong, C., Ping, J., & Zheng, X. (2021). Application research of Artificial intelligence technology in physical education: Based on ecological theory. Freseniu Environment Bulletin, 30(1), 266–271.
Lee, H. S., & Lee, J. (2021). Applying artificial intelligence in physical education and future perspectives. Sustainability, 13(1), 351.
Lee, N., & Cadogan, J. W. (2013). Problems with formative and higher-order reflective variables. Journal of Business Research, 66(2), 242–247.
Li, M., & Su, Y. (2020). Evaluation of online teaching quality of basic education based on artificial intelligence. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 15(16), 147–161.
Li, Z., & Wang, H. (2021). The effectiveness of physical education teaching in college based on Artificial intelligence methods. Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, (Preprint), 1–11.
Lin, C. F., Yeh, Y. C., Hung, Y. H., & Chang, R. I. (2013). Data mining for providing a personalized learning path in creativity: An application of decision trees. Computers & Education, 68, 199–210.
Lindell, M. K., & Whitney, D. J. (2001). Accounting for common method variance in cross-sectional research designs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(1), 114–121.
Liu, Z., Dong, L., & Wu, C. (2020). Research on personalized recommendations for students’ learning paths based on big data. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 15(8), 40–56.
Loftus, M., & Madden, M. G. (2020). A pedagogy of data and artificial intelligence for student subjectification. Teaching in Higher Education, 25(4), 456–475.
Mandal, S. (2019). The influence of big data analytics management capabilities on supply chain preparedness, alertness and agility: An empirical investigation. Information Technology & People, 17(2), 107–136.
Ma, Y. X., & Dou, Y. F. (2020). Driving or inhibiting: Which factors influence academic entrepreneurship performance in universities - a fuzzy set-based qualitative comparative analysis of 29 provincial domains. Educational Development Research, 40(11), 8–17.
McCarthy J. (2007). What is artificial intelligence? Available online at: http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/whatisai/node1.html. Accessed 12 Mar 2021.
McCoy, C. (2010). Perceived self-efficacy and technology proficiency in undergraduate college students. Computers & Education, 55(4), 1614–1617.
McGill, T. J., & Klobas, J. E. (2009). A task–technology fit view of learning management system impact. Computers & Education, 52(2), 496–508.
Memmert, D., & Perl, J. (2009). Analysis and simulation of creativity learning by means of artificial neural networks. Human Movement Science, 28(2), 263–282.
Mikalef, P., & Gupta, M. (2021). Artificial intelligence capability: Conceptualization, measurement calibration, and empirical study on its impact on organizational creativity and firm performance. Information & Management, 58(3)
Muldner, K., & Burleson, W. (2015). Utilizing sensor data to model students' creativity in a digital environment. Computers in Human Behavior, 42, 127–137.
Normadhi, N. B. A., Shuib, L., Nasir, H. N. M., Bimba, A., Idris, N., & Balakrishnan, V. (2019). Identification of personal traits in adaptive learning environment: Systematic literature review. Computers & Education, 130, 168–190.
Oktradiksa, A., Bhakti, C. P., Kurniawan, S. J., & Rahman, F. A. (2021). Utilization artificial intelligence to improve creativity skills in society 5.0. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1760(1), 012032 . IOP Publishing.
Omondi-Ochieng, P. (2019). Resource-based theory of college football team competitiveness. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 27(4), 834–856.
Osetskyi, V., Vitrenko, A., Tatomyr, I., Bilan, S., & Hirnyk, Y. (2020). Artificial intelligence application in education: Financial implications and prospects. Financial and Credit Activity: Problems of Theory and Practice, 2(33), 574–584.
Paek, S., & Kim, N. (2021). Analysis of worldwide research trends on the impact of artificial intelligence in education. Sustainability, 13(14), 7941.
Pakaja, F., & Wafa, M. (2021). Social family, parental involvement and intentions: Predicting the technology acceptance and interest students learning online. Interactive Learning Environments. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.2005105
Paul, J., Macedo-Rouet, M., Rouet, J. F., & Stadtler, M. (2017). Why attend to source information when reading online? The perspective of ninth grade students from two different countries. Computers & Education, 113, 339–354.
Pituch, K. A., & Lee, Y. K. (2006). The influence of system characteristics on e-learning use. Computers & Education, 47(2), 222–244.
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903.
Poole, D. L., & Mackworth, A. K. (2010). Artificial Intelligence: Foundations of computational agents. Cambridge University Press.
Popenici, S. A., & Kerr, S. (2017). Exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and learning in higher education. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 12(1), 1–13.
Pratama, M. A., Lestari, D. P., Sari, W. K., Putri, T. S. Y., & Adiatmah, V. A. K. (2020). Data literacy assessment instrument for preparing 21 Cs literacy: preliminary study. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1440(1), 012085. IOP Publishing.
Priem, R. L., & Butler, J. E. (2001). Is the resource-based "view" a useful perspective for strategic management research? Academy of Management Review, 26(1), 22–40.
Ransbotham, S., Kiron, D., Gerbert, P., & Reeves, M. (2017). Reshaping business with artificial intelligence: Closing the gap between ambition and action. MIT Sloan Management Review, 59(1).
Raphael, A., & Schoemaker, P. J. (1993). Strategic assets and organizational rent. Strategic Management Journal (1986–1998), 14(1), 33–46.
Salloum, S. A., Alhamad, A. Q. M., Al-Emran, M., Monem, A. A., & Shaalan, K. (2019). Exploring students’ acceptance of e-learning through the development of a comprehensive technology acceptance model. IEEE Access, 7, 128445–128462.
Saxena, A., Lo, C. K., Hew, K. F., & Wong, G. K. W. (2020). Designing unplugged and plugged activities to cultivate computational thinking: An exploratory study in early childhood education. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 29(1), 55–66.
Sharma, G. (2017). Pros and cons of different sampling techniques. International Journal of Applied Research, 3(7), 749–752.
Shan, S., Liu, Y., & Tsai, S. B. (2021). Blended teaching design of college students’ Mental health education course based on artificial intelligence flipped class. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2021, 6679732.
Shneiderman, B. (2020). Human-centered artificial intelligence: Three fresh ideas. AIS Transactions on Human-Computer Interaction, 12(3), 109–124.
Syukur, M. (2021). Roles of gender, study major, and origins in accounting learning: A case in Thailand. The International Journal of Management Education, 19(3)
Tan, C. (2020). Digital Confucius? Exploring the implications of artificial intelligence in spiritual education. Connection Science, 32(3), 280–291.
Teece, D. J. (2016). Dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurial management in large organizations: Toward a theory of the (entrepreneurial) firm. European Economic Review, 86, 202–216.
Tehseen, S., Sajilan, S., Gadar, K., & Ramayah, T. (2017). Assessing cultural orientation as a reflective-formative second order construct-a recent PLS-SEM approach. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 6(2), 38.
Tian, F. (2021). From "data worship" to "data justice": A paradigm shift in higher education research in the era of artificial intelligence. Tsinghua University Education Research, 42(01), 77–85.
UNESCO. (2021). Intergovernmental Meeting of Experts (Category ll) related to a Draft Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Available online at: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000376712/PDF/376712eng.pdf.multiAccessed 23 Apr 2021.
Uzir, M. U. H., Al Halbusi, H., Lim, R., Jerin, I., Hamid, A. B. A., Ramayah, T., & Haque, A. (2021). Applied Artificial Intelligence and user satisfaction: Smartwatch usage for healthcare in Bangladesh during COVID-19. Technology in Society, 67,
Wang, J., & Zhan, Q. (2021). Visualization analysis of artificial intelligence technology in higher education based on SSCI and SCI Journals from 2009 to 2019. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 16(8), 20–33.
Wang, S. F., & Huang, R. H. (2020). Research on the mechanism and promotion strategy of online active learning intention. Open Education Research, 26(05), 99–110.
Wang, S. F., Wang, H., Jiang, Y., Li, P., & Yang, W. (2021a). Understanding students’ participation of intelligent teaching: An empirical study considering artificial intelligence usefulness, interactive reward, satisfaction, university support and enjoyment. Interactive Learning Environments, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2021.2012813
Wang, S., Shi, G., Lu, M., Lin, R., & Yang, J. (2021b). Determinants of active online learning in the smart learning environment: An empirical study with PLS-SEM. Sustainability, 13(17), 9923.
Wang, S., Paulo Esperança, J., & Wu, Q. (2022). Effects of Live streaming proneness, engagement and intelligent recommendation on users’ purchase intention in short video community: take tiktok (douyin) online courses as an example. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2022.2091653
Wei, H. C., & Chou, C. (2020). Online learning performance and satisfaction: Do perceptions and readiness matter? Distance Education, 41(1), 48–69.
Wenge, M. (2021). Artificial intelligence-based real-time communication and Ai-multimedia services in higher education. Journal of Multiple-Valued Logic & Soft Computing, 36, 231–248.
Wilden, R., Devinney, T. M., & Dowling, G. R. (2016). The architecture of dynamic capability research identifying the building blocks of a configurational approach. Academy of Management Annals, 10(1), 997–1076.
Wu, C., Zhou, Y., Wang, R., Huang, S., & Yuan, Q. (2022). Understanding the mechanism between IT identity, IT mindfulness and mobile health technology continuance intention: An extended expectation confirmation model. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 176,
Wu, T. T., & Wu, Y. T. (2020). Applying project-based learning and SCAMPER teaching strategies in engineering education to explore the influence of creativity on cognition, personal motivation, and personality traits. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 35,
Xu, B. (2021). Artificial intelligence teaching system and data processing method based on big data. Complexity, 2021, 4892064.
Yeo, J. H., Cho, I., Hwang, G. H., & Yang, H. H. (2022). Impact of gender and prior knowledge on learning performance and motivation in a digital game-based learning biology course. Educational Technology Research and Development, 1–20.
Yustina, Y., Mahadi, I., Zulfarina, Z., Priawan, O., & Anggraini, D. (2021). The effect of constructivism-based STEM on students' creative thinking skills in Biotechnology Learning. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute (BIRCI-Journal): Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(4), 9727–9735.
Zhang, J. J., & Gao, M. (2020). Creative artificial intelligence and the cultivation and development of students' creative and innovative abilities. Curriculum. Teaching Materials. Teachings, 40(12), 108–115.
Zhao, Y., Wan, P., Yin, Y. Q., Zhu, L. L., Liu, C. C., & Wang, Y. M. (2020). The connotation, competency framework and improvement strategies of artificial intelligence quotient (AIQ) in AI era–an analysis of the cognitive survey based on "artificial intelligence + education" in universities. Journal of Distance Education, 38(04), 48–55.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Mengti Li for her assistance in the language expression of the article.
Funding
This work was supported by the Ningbo Philosophy and Social Science Planning Project [G22-5-JY09]; Ningbo Education Science Planning Project under Grant [2022YZD012]; Ningbo Soft Science Research Program under Grant [2022R040]; Zhejiang Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences Circles under Grant [2023N073]; and Zhejiang Province Association for Higher Education Project under Grant [KT2022412].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Conceptualization, S.W. and Y.C.; methodology, S.W.; software, S.W.; validation, S.W., Z.S. and Y.C.; formal analysis, S.W.; investigation, S.W.; resources, S.W.; data curation, S.W.; writing —original draft preparation, S.W. and Y.C.; writing—review and editing, Z.S.; visualization, S.W.; supervision, S.W.; project administration, S.W.; funding acquisition, S.W. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
Not applicable.
Conflicts of interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Additional information
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, S., Sun, Z. & Chen, Y. Effects of higher education institutes’ artificial intelligence capability on students' self-efficacy, creativity and learning performance. Educ Inf Technol 28, 4919–4939 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11338-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11338-4