Integration of artificial intelligence to enhance research skills in architecture students

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is both a challenge and an opportunity in today's university education. The development of educational innovations in this area allows us to identify alternatives for incorporating its use in an ethical and responsible manner. This contribution aims to present the experience of implementing an educational innovation based on the integration of AI to enhance research skills in architecture students. To this end, a teaching activity was developed focusing on the use of AI research assistants to search for bibliographic and documentary sources. This activity was applied to two groups of students from the same first-year architecture course at the Technological Institute of Costa Rica. The educational innovation was complemented by an initial diagnosis of the use of AI among some teachers in the program and by conducting questionnaires before and after the educational activity. The main results highlight the need for training for teachers and students in the appropriate use of AI technologies, as well as the importance of using tools that are appropriate to the needs of the discipline.