UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1326

Submission information
Submission Number: 1326
Submission ID: 21226
Submission UUID: ff632117-1e88-4023-a328-028406702d0d

Created: Fri, 08/22/2025 - 03:06 PM
Completed: Fri, 08/22/2025 - 03:06 PM
Changed: Mon, 08/25/2025 - 11:14 AM

Remote IP address: 68.63.40.89
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Hongcui (Hannie) Du
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns she/her/hers
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific? Dr.
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) hd17c@fsu.edu
Position Title Post Doc
FSU College (if applicable) Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Florida Center for Reading Research; Department of Psychology
Headshot (optional)
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above)
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable)
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated)
Title of the Project Smart Use or Overuse? How Students’ AI Patterns Shape Learning
Project Keywords AI Use; Critical Thinking; Individual Differences; Reading-Writing Tasks
Are you currently looking for research assistants? Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) educational psychology, developmental psychology, social science education, education
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Partially Remote
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 5-10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description The rapid development and widespread use of generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) tools have brought new opportunities for learning and productivity, but they also raised concerns that overreliance on AI could hinder students’ critical thinking and independent reasoning. This project aims to understand how undergraduate students use generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) to complete academic reading-writing tasks, and how individual differences (such as critical thinking dispositions, prior knowledge, epistemic beliefs) shape their AI use and learning outcomes. Reading-writing tasks are common in undergraduate courses, yet little is known about how generative AI changes the way students approach to such tasks, what strategy they use, and who benefit, or may even be disadvantaged, by AI support.

In this project, we will document patterns of student-AI interaction (e.g., length of interaction, level of prompts), and identify how different types of students engage with AI during academic task completion. During the Fall semester, we will focus on research design and materials development, and will work toward securing IRB approval. In the following semester, we will conduct data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
Research Tasks As a Research Assistant, you will have the opportunity to participate in multiple phases of the project, including:

Research Design & Material Development: Help create study protocols, design reading–writing tasks, and identifying existing instruments to assess student characteristics and learning outcomes.
IRB Application: Contribute to preparing study materials and documentation for Institutional Review Board approval.
Data Collection: Assist with recruiting participants, setting up study sessions, and supporting data collection (e.g., AI log data, screen recordings, student essays).
Data Analysis: Work with both qualitative and quantitative data, including coding AI prompts, analyzing writing products, and summarizing process data.
Writing & Dissemination: Contribute to drafting research reports, conference proposals, and manuscripts. Opportunities for co-authorship may be available depending on contribution.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required Skills:
Strong attention to detail and willingness to learn new methods.
Good written and verbal communication skills.
Interest in educational psychology, learning sciences, or technology in education.
Curiosity about AI, reading/writing, and critical thinking
Preferred:
Familiarity with tools such as Excel, R, SPSS (but not required)
Familiarity with online data collection tools such as REDCap, Qualtrics
Ability to work collaboratively and communicate openly.
Mentoring Philosophy I view mentoring as a collaborative, supportive process that adapts to each student’s background and goals. I prioritize open communication, mutual respect, and constructive feedback. My aim is to provide you with meaningful opportunities to learn about the research process—from design to dissemination—while also tailoring the experience to your interests (e.g., writing, analysis, presenting).
I encourage independence and curiosity, but also ensure that students feel supported and prepared at each step. Whether you are considering graduate school, industry, or other professional paths, I want this project to serve as a foundation for your growth as a researcher and learner.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gessCL8AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Please add any additional information here (if applicable):
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? No
Roundtable times and Zoom links
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Year 2025
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