Cognitive load, AI literacy, and doctoral students' academic procrastination: Conceptual review

Annisa Ciptagustia; Eeng Ahman; Edi Suryadi; Rofi Rofaida; Murni Zarina Mohamed Razali

doi:10.17509/curricula.v5i2.669

Authors

Annisa Ciptagustia Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Eeng Ahman Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Edi Suryadi Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Rofi Rofaida Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Murni Zarina Mohamed Razali MARA University of Technology

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17509/curricula.v5i2.669

Keywords:

academic procrastination, AI literacy, cognitive load theory, doctoral students

Abstract

Research on doctoral students is still fragmented in the study of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), academic procrastination, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy. This article integrates these three fields to explain the interaction between cognitive load, AI literacy competency, and academic procrastination in the context of doctoral students with dual roles in the era of generative AI. Using an integrative conceptual paper approach and a systematic search in the Scopus database (254 final articles: 58 CLT, 56 procrastination, 140 AI literacy), we found that none of the three streams connected all three constructs simultaneously. Five integrative propositions were formulated, namely (P1) cognitive load as a causal antecedent of procrastination; (P2) AI literacy as a moderator of the CLT-procrastination relationship; (P3) Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and self-efficacy as dual mediators; (P4) dual-role as a cognitive load amplifier; and (P5) intellectual procrastination or the paradox of AI competence without adequate SRL. This article contributes to postgraduate curriculum design by offering five curricular components that are based directly on the identified causal mechanisms.

Abstrak

Penelitian tentang mahasiswa doktoral masih terfragmentasi dalam kajian Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), prokrastinasi akademik, dan literasi Artificial Intelligence (AI). Artikel ini mengintegrasikan ketiga bidang tersebut untuk menjelaskan interaksi antara beban kognitif, kompetensi literasi AI, dan prokrastinasi akademik dalam konteks mahasiswa doktoral dengan peran ganda di era AI generatif. Melalui pendekatan integrative conceptual paper dengan systematic search di database Scopus (254 artikel final: 58 CLT, 56 prokrastinasi, 140 AI literacy), ditemukan bahwa tidak ada satu pun dari ketiga stream yang menghubungkan ketiga konstruk secara bersamaan. Lima proposisi integratif dirumuskan, yaitu (P1) cognitive load sebagai anteseden kausal prokrastinasi; (P2) AI literacy sebagai moderator hubungan CLT-prokrastinasi; (P3) Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) dan self-efficacy sebagai mediator ganda; (P4) dual-role sebagai amplifier beban kognitif; dan (P5) prokrastinasi intelektual atau paradoks kompetensi AI tanpa SRL yang memadai. Artikel ini berkontribusi pada desain kurikulum pascasarjana dengan menawarkan lima komponen kurikuler yang didasarkan langsung pada mekanisme kausal yang telah teridentifikasi.

Kata Kunci: literasi AI; mahasiswa doktoral; prokrastinasi akademik; teori beban kognitif

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