The motivational effect of GenAI is larger in higher education than in primary and secondary education (exploratory)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r3 · q3
Currency · newest study 2026 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Between-subgroup differences by education stage were significant (QBET = 13.536, df = 2, p < 0.05), with university students showing the largest effect (g = 0.886), followed by secondary (g = 0.360) and primary students (g = 0.311). → Fang L 2026

Evidence¶

Fang L 2026¶

Fang L, Li Z, Xiong B and Lu Z (2026). Effects of generative artificial intelligence on students' learning motivation: evidence from a meta-analysis. Front. Psychol. 17:1832451. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1832451

q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r3

Exploratory subgroup analysis across education stage within the meta-analysis. The article reports "QBET = 13.536" with subgroup estimates of g = 0.886 (university, k = 43), g = 0.360 (secondary, k = 9), and g = 0.311 (primary, k = 4); no standardized effect size for the between-subgroup contrast itself is printed.

"Observed between-subgroup differences by education stage were found (QBET = 13.536, df = 2, p < 0.05). The effect was stronger among university students (g = 0.886, 95%CI = [0.637, 1.136]), followed by secondary school students (g = 0.360, 95%CI = [0.157, 0.563]), and finally primary school students (g = 0.311, 95%CI =[0.077,0.544])."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Domain Context — moderator: an instructional effect differs with it
• Motivation — moderator: an instructional effect differs with it

Related Claims¶

• GenAI-assisted education produces significantly higher learning motivation than non-GenAI approaches (g = 0.81) — the general claim this finding bears on, with the studies behind it
• GenAI used on mobile devices shows a larger motivational effect than GenAI used on computers (exploratory) — related
• GenAI's motivational effect is larger in collectivistic than individualistic cultural contexts (exploratory) — related
• GenAI's motivational effect varies by subject domain, largest for language learning and smallest for science (exploratory) — related
• GenAI function, intervention duration, publication year, and gender were not significant moderators of GenAI's motivational effect — related
• GenAI shows positive effects on both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, with no reliable difference between the two (H-1c not supported) — related
• Effects on reading comprehension are larger for primary schoolers than secondary schoolers and larger for typical readers than struggling readers, with no such differences for affirming motivations — related
• Educational level does not significantly moderate Gen-AI's effect on HOT, though K-12 subgroups show a larger effect (ES = 0.857) than post-secondary (ES = 0.539) — related
• Educational stage significantly moderates the digital reading-comprehension association: negative at primary and middle school, positive at high school and university — related