Research on Generative Artificial Intelligence Empowering the Cultivation of College Students' Higher-order Thinking Skills: An Analysis of Four Typical Cases

Amid the digital transformation of education, generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has profoundly influenced the cultivation of college students' higher-order thinking skills. Focusing on the core technological pathways of GAI, this study analyzes four representative cases: an intelligent reflective writing feedback tool, a ChatGPT-based open-ended problem-solving experiment, the CoAsker critical questioning tool, and the CoQuest research agent. The findings reveal that GAI enhances students' reflective capacity, problem-solving ability, critical thinking, and research creativity through four key mechanisms: optimizing metacognition via instant feedback, activating higher-order thinking through contextualized tasks, extending cognitive boundaries through human–AI collaboration, and enabling personalized adaptation through data-driven learning. However, challenges remain, including technological dependence, misalignment between traditional assessment systems and higher-order thinking evaluation, algorithmic bias, and risks to data privacy and ethics. The study advocates for innovative GAI-based educational models, authentic assessment reform, algorithmic optimization, and the construction of a technology–ethics co-governance framework to balance technological innovation with educational ethics. This approach promotes the deep integration of higher-order thinking cultivation with national talent development strategies and provides a framework for advancing high-quality higher education in the AI era.