Maria Anna D. Cruz

Vanessa B. Sibug, Maria Anna D. Cruz, Vicky P. Vital et al.

The study examines the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in education by analyzing the roles of institutional support, teacher confidence, and teacher concerns. It aims to determine whether teacher concerns moderate the relationship between institutional support and two outcomes: teacher confidence and attitudes toward AI adoption. The sample included 260 teachers from the Philippines. Composite scores were calculated for institutional support, confidence, concerns, and attitudes. Moderated multiple regression analysis showed that institutional support significantly predicted both teacher confidence and attitudes toward AI. However, teacher concerns did not significantly moderate these relationships. A follow-up mediation analysis tested whether confidence explains the effect of institutional support on attitudes. Results showed full mediation. The indirect effect was significant based on the Sobel test, and the direct effect became non-significant when confidence was included in the model. This shows that institutional support improves teacher attitudes by increasing their confidence. The study recommends that institutions provide structured and ongoing support to strengthen teacher confidence. Professional development, mentoring, and AI integration in teacher education programs can increase readiness and support effective AI adoption.

Maria Anna D. Cruz, Jeaneth D. Serna, Lloyd D. Feliciano et al.

This study examined the barriers and enablers of online instruction in hospitality education. A sequential exploratory design was implemented with hospitality teachers from both public and private higher educational institutions in the Philippines. Thematic analysis of interviews identified four key themes: technological barriers, pedagogical challenges, institutional and personal support, and integration of artificial intelligence (AI). These themes were transformed into survey constructs and tested for reliability. Pedagogical challenges, including difficulties in teaching hands-on subjects and sustaining student engagement, emerged as the most critical concerns. Technological barriers such as unstable internet and limited devices were moderately rated, while institutional and personal support received mixed evaluations. Teachers viewed AI integration as helpful but also expressed caution and emphasized the need for training. Reliability analysis showed acceptable to good internal consistency across constructs. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening pedagogical training, providing clear institutional support, and fostering responsible competence in AI use. Future studies should validate these results with larger and more diverse samples.

Emerson Q. Fernando, Julius Ceazar G. Tolentino, Maria Anna D. Cruz et al.

The increasing dependency among Filipino college students on artificial intelligence (AI) poses concerns about the potential decline of fundamental academic competencies. This study examines the extent of AI dependency and its perceived effects on students' critical thinking, writing skills, learning independence, research skills, and academic engagement. Using a cross-sectional research design, data was collected from 651 students enrolled in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Pampanga, Philippines accredited by the Commission on Higher Education. The survey data was analyzed using Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to identify AI dependency patterns. Findings indicated that students show moderate to high AI dependency, specifically in research and writing tasks. LCA identified four distinct profiles: highly engaged independent learners, selective AI users, moderate AI users, and AI-dependent learners. Notably, AI-dependent learners demonstrated the weakest academic competencies, with significant dependency on AI-generated outputs. The study highlights the need to foster educational policies that integrate AI literacy while preserving essential academic skills. HEIs must also balance technological advancements with curriculum adaptations to promote critical thinking and ethical use of AI. Future research may explore the longitudinal impacts and intervention strategies to mitigate academic skill erosion caused by AI dependency.