OVER RELIANCE ON TECH TOOLS HINDER THE COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

With the rapid progress in the field of academics new digital and technological tools are also in use. Learners, especially students of college level are relying heavily on these mediums not only to gain knowledge but also to enhance their communication skills. The increasing reliance on technology driven communication tools such as automated prompts, predictive text and AI chatbots has developed serious concerns about the erosion of human communicative competence. This research examines how over-reliance or dependence on pre- shaped responses and AI generated responses decrease students or learners' ability to engage in spontaneous intricate refined and contextually suitable communication.

Through a mixed method approach which included surveys, interviews and experimental assessments the researchers analyzed the social and cognitive outcomes of reduced active language processing. The finding of this research suggests that protract and lengthen use of auto generated prompt- based tools corresponded with decreased verbal fluency, reduced empathy in dialogues or interactions and decreasing rapid capacity for critical thinking in real time discourse. This article concludes with recommendations for balancing technological assistance with steady communication skills to improve the ability to use in practical usage.