Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

1.1 Introduction

The use of modern technology has changed how we view education. Previously,

classroom environments had been defined as static structures in which learners would

gather to learn. At present, however, classrooms have evolved to become digital

environments and many of today's classrooms use electronic technology as an

essential part of the educational process. Classrooms use digital technology not only as

a main research resource, but also as the basis for students to develop individualized

pathways for learning through collaboration and communication with others, regardless

of the distance. AI tools are currently being used by students around the world to

perform various academic functions on a daily basis. Examples include conducting

research on a given topic, obtaining tutoring assistance, completing written assignments

or obtaining solutions to various academic problems. AI systems are created with

algorithms that simulate and process behaviors similar to those of a student. As a result

of this simulation, AI-based systems can offer support almost immediately to students

worldwide and provide fair access to support services for every student, thus giving

students the ability to interact with instructional materials at their own pace and in a

manner that meets their learning preferences. According to Lubguban and Bauyot

(2025), AI applications in education primarily focus on personalized tutoring and

adaptive learning, which directly supports the development of individualized learning

pathways for students.

students perform various academic tasks (i.e., creating or refining drafts; creating ideas

and outlines; checking grammar and style; paraphrasing text; summarizing lengthy,

complicated research documents; and helping students to simulate the study process

by engaging in question-and-answer sessions with them). One of the benefits of using

AI tools for assisting students include providing a customized tutor, increasing

productivity when working on assignments, and giving immediate feedback to

encourage improvement in writing skills. Despite these benefits, however, there are

many concerns about the potential disadvantages associated with using AI tools,

including concerns regarding academic dishonesty and dependence on AI tools. In

addition, AI tools can create a high probability of producing inaccurate or biased

information and raise important questions about whether a student will learn the

foundational skills needed for independent critical thinking and research. Therefore, the

use of AI tools in an educational manner presents ethical and academic challenges for

educational institutions.

The integration of AI into our academic tasks causes both positive and negative

effects on students' academic performance. AI influences learning outcomes and can be

a source of dependency. Used as an ethical supplement to learning processes, AI

would help improve students' grades by providing them with on-demand tutoring,

clarifying complex subjects, and improving the quality of their written works. However, if

students depend too much on AI tools, they are at risk of losing the ability to develop

critical thinking skills, conduct original research, and develop an individual voice as a
writer, because they may not need to struggle cognitively to learn deeply. The

importance of researching this tension creates the need to ask a new research

question. The research question is now whether AI enhances student grades or whether

it develops the independent, adaptable thinker that education intends to create. This

tension is evident is recent findings; for instance, Dunn (2025) found that since the

emergence of generative AI, the distribution of student grades has shifted, enhancing

overall marks for passing students but reducing marks for those who are failing,

suggesting that the impact of AI on academic performance is not uniformly positive.

This study focuses on the Mabinay National High School students enrolled in the

Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) program. As students in the HUMSS A

program have a curriculum full of assignments that require writing, research, and

project-based assignments containing multiple and layers of reading, critical analysis,

and writing, many students have begun using AI tools such as Grammarly and

ChatGPT to help them with activities relating to summarizing content, editing,

brainstorming and managing workloads. In this context, AI tools have now become

mandatory resources for HUMSS A students instead of optional resources, and to

assess these tools from the current use of HUMSS A students in their specific

educational environments, an understanding of how HUMSS A students use, modify,

and perceive these tools in their specific academic environments is critical in

determining how they will be viewed by today’s Filipino senior high students.

Even though several studies have been conducted focusing on the rise of
artificial intelligence (AI) in the education world, especially in higher education

institutions, there has yet to be a focus on how Grade 11 HUMSS students use the

tools. Most research relates to STEM fields or involves generalized populations of

students across different district's (i.e., New Orleans). While there is a need for in-depth

qualitative research examining how HUMSS A students perceive, comprehend, and

apply AI tools in their daily lives, this study aims to fill this research gap by creating an

investigation based on the subjective realities of those involved.

This study examines the academic performance of Mabinay National High

School's Grade 11 HUMSS A students when using AI tools; therefore, the current

research will provide a detailed description of how students use and combine the

integration of AI into their education, including perceived advantages or disadvantages

of using these tools, and how their study habits and outcomes have been impacted.

Ultimately, the results of this research will assist in developing guidelines for proper

integration of AI tools into the HUMSS A curriculum, as well as enabling students,

teachers, and administrators to determine if AI tools may be beneficial or harmful to

student learning and academic achievement.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

This study aims to give answers to the following:

1. What is the demographic information of the respondents in terms of:

1.2. Sex

1.3. Average Grade

2. To understand how Grade 11 HUMSS students incorporate AI tools when doing their

school requirements.

3. To identify the different reasons why students choose to rely on AI for their academic

tasks.

4. To explore the positive outcomes students gain from using AI in their studies.

5. To determine whether AI tools help simplify schoolwork or create additional

challenges for learners.

6. To discover how the use of AI affects students’ overall study routines and learning

habits.

1.3 Scope and Delimitation

This study aims to examine the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools on the

academic performance of Grade 11 HUMSS A students at Mabinay National High

School. It specifically investigates how AI tools are utilized in completing academic

requirements such as assignments, research activities, written outputs, and other

school-related tasks. The study seeks to determine whether the use of these tools

contributes positively or negatively to students’ academic performance. The scope of

this research is strictly limited to Grade 11 HUMSS A students of Mabinay National High

School. Students from other sections, strands, grade levels, and schools are not
included in this study. Furthermore, the research focuses only on the academic

application of AI tools and does not cover their use for entertainment or non-academic

purposes. The findings of the study are based solely on the data gathered from the

selected participants within the designated period of data collection.

1.4 Significance of the Study

This study will give beneficial attributes to the following stakeholders:

Students. This study can help students understand whether the use of AI tools

positively or negatively affects their academic performance. It may guide them in using

AI responsibly and effectively for learning.

Teachers. The findings can help teachers become more aware of how students

use AI tools. It may assist them in creating better strategies and guidelines for

integrating AI into classroom activities.

Parents. This study can inform parents about how AI tools influence their

children’s academic performance. It may encourage them to guide and monitor the

proper use of technology at home.

Community. The community may gain awareness of how modern technology,

use of technology among young learners.

Future Researchers. This study may serve as a reference for future research

related to AI tools and academic performance, especially among senior high school

students.