Artificial intelligence and higher-order thinking: a systematic review of educator and student experiences and perspectives in higher education

Since 2022, Artificial Intelligence has taken the education field by storm, resulting in a proliferation of research on AI's benefits, challenges, and pitfalls. A particular area of concern and uncertainty centers around AI and its impact on higher-order thinking skills. This qualitative systematic review comprising 31 articles aims to gather and synthesize the impact and influence of AI on higher-order thinking skills, specifically from the perspectives of higher education educators and students. For both groups, the positive experiences outweighed the negatives. Educators cited using AI to design lesson plans, and students described AI as an interactive and experiential learning tool. Collectively, both groups highlighted that AI facilitated interactive and enriching classroom environments. However, depth and complexity in thinking and ethical challenges were raised as concerns. The review discusses these findings within the context of higher-order thinking skills and presents practical implications for educators and students.