Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Digital Literacy Competencies Among JTMK Students

Abstract

The rapid advancement of digital technologies and the emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) have significantly transformed higher education, emphasizing the need for digital literacy as a core competency. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a critical enabler in enhancing digital literacy through applications that support personalized learning, automated assessments and adaptive feedback. This study examines students’ perceptions of AI integration in education, focusing on three key areas: AI usage in assessment, AI’s role in comprehension and concerns regarding ethical and academic integrity. A quantitative research design was adopted, utilizing an online questionnaire distributed via CIDOS and WhatsApp to 221 students from the Department of Information Technology at Politeknik Muadzam Shah. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations) and inferential analysis via one sample T-tests. Findings indicate generally positive perceptions of AI in assessment (M = 3.93, SD = 0.692) and comprehension (M = 3.96, SD = 0.691), highlighting AI’s potential to improve learning efficiency and understanding. However, perceptions related to ethical and academic integrity (M = 3.77, SD = 0.697) underscore concerns about responsible AI usage, plagiarism risks and over-reliance. The results suggest that while AI adoption is widely accepted and beneficial for learning and evaluation, its integration must be accompanied by clear institutional policies to ensure ethical practices and academic fairness. These findings provide insights for higher education stakeholders in designing strategies that balance technological innovation with ethical considerations in AI-enhanced learning environments.