Generative AI as a lever for agency? Analysis of student practices in higher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51657/vbvv5k04Keywords:
agency, professional development, teacher education, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)Abstract
Agency, defined as the learner’s power to act and capacity to take an active role in their own learning (Bandura, 1997, 2001), serves as the framework for analyzing student practices with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools. This article reports on an exploratory study conducted at Laval University (Quebec) involving 4,628 students (8.2% of the enrolled population in 2024-2025), using a self-administered questionnaire (26 closed-ended questions and one open-ended question, December 2024-January 2025). We analyzed the quantitative data using Spearman’s correlations and supplemented them with a qualitative analysis of 1,511 open-ended responses. These analyses address the question: In what ways, how, and why does using GenAI tools contribute to students’ agency? We identify and characterize four usage profiles and four patterns of use by the types and aims of agency, in relation to learner characteristics, context, and the learning environment. Given the significance of non-use (44% of respondents), this article discusses the links between using these conversational bots and an inclusive perspective on student well-being.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Didier Paquelin, Valentine Kropf, Mada Lucienne Tendeng, Évarice Benoît Djieufack
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