TY - JOUR T1 - Artificial Intelligence Literacy as a Catalyst for Overcoming Student Resistance to Digital Transformation in Higher Education TT - Yükseköğretimde Dijital Dönüşüme Karşı Öğrenci Direncinin Aşılmasında Yapay Zekâ Okuryazarlığının Katalizör Rolü AU - Fidan, Üzeyir AU - Gündüz, Cemil AU - Erbey, Ali PY - 2025 DA - December Y2 - 2025 DO - 10.32329/uad.1743237 JF - Journal of University Research PB - Durmuş GÜNAY WT - DergiPark SN - 2636-7459 SP - 557 EP - 566 VL - 8 IS - 4 LA - en AB - This study investigates how students’ resistance to change and AI literacy influence their attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. With the aim of contributing to overcoming psychological barriers encountered in the digital transformation process, this study examines the mediating role of AI literacy in the negative effect of resistance to change on students’ attitudes toward AI. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional research design, data were collected from 564 university students in Türkiye through a structured questionnaire. To test the proposed hypotheses, the research utilized Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) alongside Hayes’ PROCESS Model 4 for mediation analysis. The findings reveal that increased resistance to change significantly and negatively impacts both AI literacy and attitudes toward AI. Furthermore, AI literacy has a positive effect on students’ attitudes toward AI and partially mediates the relationship between resistance to change and attitude. An original contribution is offered by empirically establishing an integrated RTC→AIL→AIA pathway and by specifying AIL as a developable competence that converts resistance-related ambiguity into perceived control, thereby clarifying how attitudes are improved through knowledge-based mechanisms. The results show that knowledge-based trust and cognitive preparation significantly contribute to the strengthening of positive attitudes towards AI. This research contributes to the literature by presenting an integrated conceptual framework linking resistance to change, AI literacy, and attitude toward AI. In practical terms, design-addressable implications are specified for educational programming, indicating that embedding ethics–privacy–bias content and explainability-oriented feedback can translate the mediation mechanism into routine practice and help reduce resistance-related frictions. It emphasizes that addressing cognitive competencies is essential in promoting sustainable learning behaviors in digitally transforming educational environments. KW - Higher Education KW - Digital Transformation KW - AI Literacy KW - Resistance to Change KW - Attitude toward AI N2 - Bu çalışma, öğrencilerin değişime direnci ve yapay zekâ okuryazarlığının yükseköğretimde yapay zekaya (YZ) karşı tutumlarını nasıl etkilediğini araştırmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, dijital dönüşüm sürecinde karşılaşılan psikolojik engellerin aşılmasına katkı sağlamak amacıyla, özellikle değişime direncin yapay zekâya yönelik tutumlar üzerindeki olumsuz etkilerinde yapay zekâ okuryazarlığının aracılık rolünün belirlenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Nicel, kesitsel bir araştırma tasarımı kullanılarak, Türkiye’deki 564 üniversite öğrencisinden yapılandırılmış bir anket aracılığıyla veri toplanmıştır. Çalışmada, önerilen hipotezleri test etmek için Yapısal Eşitlik Modeli (YEM) ve Hayes’in PROCESS Model 4 kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, değişime direncin artışının hem YZ okuryazarlığını hem de YZ’ye karşı tutumları önemli ölçüde ve olumsuz etkilediğini ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca, YZ okuryazarlığı öğrencilerin YZ tutumları üzerinde olumlu bir etkiye sahiptir ve değişime direnç ile tutum arasındaki ilişkiyi kısmen aracılık etmektedir. Bütünleşik bir RTC→AIL→AIA yolu deneysel olarak kurularak ve AIL'yi dirençle ilişkili belirsizliği algılanan kontrole dönüştüren geliştirilebilir bir yetkinlik olarak belirleyerek özgün bir katkı sunulmaktadır. Böylece tutumların bilgiye dayalı mekanizmalar aracılığıyla nasıl iyileştirildiği açıklığa kavuşturulmaktadır. Sonuçlar, bilgiye dayalı güven ve bilişsel hazırlığın, yapay zekâya yönelik olumlu tutumların güçlenmesine anlamlı katkı sunduğunu göstermektedir. Bu çalışma, değişime direnç, YZ okuryazarlığı ve YZ’ye karşı tutumları birbirine bağlayan entegre bir kavramsal çerçeve sunarak literatüre katkıda bulunmaktadır. 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