Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-16-2026

Department

J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

Abstract

Although the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in higher education is a reality, we are still in the early days of understanding how it can be used and applied in educational contexts. A significant gap remains in understanding its impacts within plant sciences, and in horticulture in particular. More research is needed to understand the overall impact of artificial intelligence on learning and teaching from educational perspectives, and to investigate how to integrate GenAI tools in education to ensure technology affects teaching and learning in a meaningful way on a broader scale. We investigated university students’ perceptions and uses of GenAI, analyzing its role in learning and its quantitative impact on academic performance and study efficiency in a plant physiology course. A quantitative research approach, including data from student surveys and the learning management system, was used. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t tests, and simple linear regression analyses were used for analysis. Our results indicate that although students report a positive attitude and learning experience when using GenAI tools, the differences in measured academic performance and study efficiency between the GenAI user and nonGenAI user groups were not statistically significant. This study offers practical strategies and reflections from the educators’ perspective on how best to integrate GenAI tools into teaching thoughtfully to enhance learning in horticulture.

Publisher's Statement

© 2026. Publisher’s version of record: 10.21273/HORTTECH05936-26

Publication Title

Horttechnology

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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