The effect of AI–supported reading comprehension instruction on students' 4C skills: A systematic review
Thinking Skills and Creativity, cilt.62, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 62
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.tsc.2026.102310
- Dergi Adı: Thinking Skills and Creativity
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, EBSCO Education Source, Psycinfo, Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: 21st-century skills, 4C skills, Artificial intelligence, Reading comprehension, Systematic review
- Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
In this systematic review, we aimed to comprehensively evaluate the relationship between artificial intelligence-supported reading comprehension education (AISRCE) and the skills of creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication, and to present trends, methodological characteristics, and results from a holistic perspective. This study addresses the fragmented structure of the existing literature and the fact that 4C skills are generally examined separately, offering a comprehensive synthesis that integrates all four skills within a single analytical framework in the context of AISRCE. Based on our search of the Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) databases according to our criteria, 29 studies were included in our analysis. Based on the descriptive analysis, we identified each of the 4C skills as a theme to examine the relationship between AISRCE applications and the 4C skills. Our results indicate that AISRCE applications generally have a positive effect on creativity and collaboration skills, with particularly pronounced effects on critical thinking and communication skills. However, these effects vary depending on the educational level, pedagogical design, and methods of use. We found that the impact of AISRCE applications on 4C skills is not one-dimensional but rather context-sensitive, dependent on pedagogical design, and shaped by learner characteristics, constituting a multi-layered structure. The results revealed that the guided and purposeful use of AI strengthens higher-order cognitive, communicative, and collaborative processes, whereas unguided and excessive use may lead to risks such as superficial learning, loss of creative effort, and a decline in collaboration quality. Therefore, the effect of artificial intelligence-supported reading applications on 4C skills needs to be addressed with more holistic models that explain the forms of integration between AI, reading, and cognitive skills at all educational levels, considering developmental differences, pedagogical design, and technological diversity.