The contribution of cognitive and motivational profiles of adolescents to learning patterns and outcomes of interactions with AI-based learning tools
Project description
The rapid integration of AI-based tools into educational settings offers substantial potential benefits, including reduced cognitive load and increased learner engagement. At the same time, it raises critical concerns, such as superficial processing, “metacognitive laziness,” diminished inquiry depth, and reduced cognitive activation. These risks are particularly salient during adolescents- a developmental period marked by ongoing maturation of attention, executive functions, motivation, and emotional regulation. As sustained and well-regulated attention is a prerequisite for meaningful learning, the educational impact of AI depends not merely on its availability, but on how learners engage with it.
The present research adopts a multi-dimensional, field-based approach to examine students’ interactions with a pedagogically guided AI system implemented in Israeli secondary schools. Unlike open-ended generative AI tools, this system is intentionally designed to scaffold learning through guided questioning, cognitive prompts, and structured support, rather than by providing direct answers. The study integrates objective cognitive measures, self-report assessments of motivational and emotional processes, and real-time learning analytics derived from system log data, in order to characterize how adolescents with diverse cognitive and motivational profiles engage with guided AI tools.
The core contribution of this project lies in its learner-centered perspective on AI adaptivity. Rather than treating AI effectiveness as a uniform phenomenon, the research seeks to identify distinct learner profiles and examine how cognitive, motivational, and emotional characteristics shape learning processes and outcomes in AI-mediated environments. The findings will be used to develop an empirically grounded framework for Learner-Centered AI, specifying the adaptive supports required to promote effective, responsible, and developmentally appropriate learning during adolescence.
About me
I hold a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology and Education, an M.A. in Learning Disabilities, and a teaching certificate, all from Tel Aviv University. I am a certified Learning Disabilities specialist, with extensive professional experience teaching students with special educational needs. This work has provided me with in-depth, practice-based insights into the cognitive, motivational, and learning profiles of diverse learners. In the context of rapidly advancing educational technologies and AI, this experience has reinforced my conviction that effective learning environments must be tailored to individual learner characteristics. The integration of applied educational practice with academic research enables me to bridge theory and practice, ensuring that educational practices will be evidence-based and that research questions will be relevant, meaningful, and directly applicable to educational settings.