Artificial intelligence in university education: a SWOT analysis from the students’ perspective

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21142/DES-1804-2026-0091

Keywords:

Artificial intelligence, higher education, perception, educational technology, university students

Abstract

Introduction: the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed higher education, and the role of these tools in students' training remains contested. Objective: to describe university students' perceptions of the use of AI in their academic training. Methodology: descriptive qualitative study; 88 sixth-semester students at a public Ecuadorian university, trained in research methods and in the use of AI, answered an open-ended questionnaire structured around the four SWOT dimensions. Responses were categorized through AI-assisted content analysis reviewed by the researchers. Results: the most frequent strengths and opportunities were broader access to educational resources and the optimization of academic tasks; the most frequent weaknesses and threats were cost and accessibility, technological dependence, algorithmic bias and privacy risks. Conclusion: these perceptions invite a rethinking of the educational model and an ethical, critical and equitable integration of these tools.

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Author Biographies

  • Mari Mar Boillos, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea. Bilbao, España

    Doctora internacional en Innovación Educativa y Aprendizaje a lo Largo de la Vida (Universidad de Deusto) y profesora del Departamento de Didáctica de la Lengua y la Literatura de la Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, en la Facultad de Educación de Bilbao. Es miembro del equipo de investigación KideON y vicedecana de Relaciones Internacionales. Investiga sobre formación del profesorado de lenguas e innovación educativa.

  • Ángel Freddy Rodríguez-Torres, Universidad Central del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador

    Doctor en Docencia y Gestión Universitaria por la Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea. Es docente investigador de la Facultad de Cultura Física, Coordinador de las COIFS en la Dirección de Investigación y Coordinador del área de Salud Humana de la Universidad Central del Ecuador (Quito) y Coordinador del Grupo de Investigación Diversidad, Salud, Educación y Deporte (DISAED) y se ha desempeñado como Director del Instituto de Investigación y Posgrado. Sus líneas de investigación incluyen la formación del profesorado, innovación educativa, la actividad física e inteligencia artificial en educación.

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Published

2026-10-30

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 4 (2026): TRANSFORMACIONES EN LAS MOVILIZACIONES SOCIALES CONTEMPORÁNEAS: ORGANIZACIONES (IN)FORMALES Y SUS IMPACTOS EN LA DEMOCRACIA

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License
Esta obra está bajo una licencia http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

How to Cite

Artificial intelligence in university education: a SWOT analysis from the students’ perspective. (2026). Desde El Sur, 18(4), e0091. https://doi.org/10.21142/DES-1804-2026-0091