Student Reliance on Dola AI Tools in Reading Comprehension Tasks in State Junior High School 9 Satap Tondano
Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, AI Dependency, Reading Comprehension, Digital Literacy, Self-EfficacyAbstract
The increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education has provided students with convenient access to information and assistance in completing academic tasks, but excessive dependence may reduce independent learning, critical engagement, and information evaluation, particularly in English reading comprehension. This study aims to describe junior high school students’ dependence on Dola AI, their responses to AI errors and inaccessibility, strategies for verifying AI-generated answers, and perceptions of teachers’ roles in responsible AI use. A qualitative descriptive design was employed with 10 students from Grades 7 and 8 at State Junior High School 9 Satap Tondano, selected through purposive sampling based on mobile-phone ownership and active use of Dola AI for English reading tasks; data were collected through non-participant classroom observations and semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed three patterns of AI dependence: high dependence among 20% of participants, moderate dependence among 50%, and low dependence or independent learning among 30%. Highly dependent students experienced panic when AI was unavailable, trusted AI-generated answers without verification, and sometimes submitted system error messages as answers, whereas moderately dependent students used AI for convenience with limited verification and independent students verified information and continued working without AI. The findings indicate that AI dependence is shaped by students’ self-efficacy, digital literacy, and teacher guidance, highlighting the need to strengthen independent reading skills, critical AI literacy, verification strategies, and explicit teacher guidance for responsible AI use.
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