PME-NA

Student Perceptions vs. Practices: AI Use in Mathematical Thinking

• In Event: Mindsets and Positioning

Description

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more integrated into education, students engage with AI in ways that may not always align with their self-reported problem-solving strategies. This study examines a mathematics graduate student’s AI use during a multi-step pre-calculus task using diSessa et al.’s (2004) framework of coherence and fragmentation. Through a think-aloud interview, we analyzed the participant’s stated beliefs about AI as a verification tool and compared them to his actual problem-solving behaviors. While he consistently used AI to check solutions, he also deviated from his reported habits by relying on AI to generate an equation rather than deriving it himself. These findings highlight how students may shift between structured and inconsistent AI use depending on task difficulty, raising implications for AI literacy, instructional design, and classroom AI policies. Understanding these inconsistencies can help educators develop more effective AI integration strategies in mathematics education.

Authors

• Sunday Stein, San Diego State University

• Victoria Delaney, San Diego State University