2026 , SOTAMINGA CINILIN, MARCELO JAVIER , Miguel Ángel Uribe-Laverde
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher educationHigher education is transforming assessment and feedback practices, yet empirical evidence from Latin America remains scarce. This study examines students’ perceptions of an AI-based assistant (ChatGPT) for formative feedbackFormative feedback and assessment in an undergraduate instructional design course in Ecuador. Using a mixed-methods design, results show high levels of Perceived Usefulness, Ease of Use, and Motivational Value, while concerns emerged regarding transparencyTransparency, privacy, and equitable access. Students valued the immediacy and objectivity of AI-generated feedback but emphasized the need for clearer grading criteria and continued human mediation. These findings provide one of the first regional contributions to understanding the role of AI-based assistants in higher educationHigher education, underscoring their potential to complement traditional feedback in resource-constrained environments while highlighting ethical and practical challenges that must be addressed for equitable adoption. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.
