Abstract

This study examines university students’ perceptions of how artificial intelligence (AI) tools influence creativity in Digital Media coursework at an Egyptian university, addressing the underrepresentation of non-Western and non-STEM contexts in AI-in-education research. A convergent mixed-methods design was used with 103 undergraduate students enrolled in a Visual Communication course. Data were collected through an online questionnaire comprising a 24-item Likert-scale battery (Cronbach’s α = 0.94) and four open-ended prompts. Because creativity was measured through perception rather than objective performance, the findings are interpreted as students’ subjective appraisals rather than as evidence about the originality or quality of their creative products. A four-item Perceived Creative Support subscale (α = 0.82) was positively associated with overall learning satisfaction (r = 0.33, p < 0.001), while remaining independent of prior AI familiarity. However, it was significantly related to comfort with new technology (r = 0.35, p < 0.001) and moderate AI use intensity. Reflexive thematic analysis identified five themes: task efficiency, academic support, creative stimulation, information access, and concerns about overreliance and authenticity. Students mainly framed creativity in functional terms, including ideation structure, speed, and organization. The study positions AI as a perceived cognitive scaffold and discusses implications for pedagogy, assessment design, and academic integrity in creative disciplines.

IPC Classification

Keywords