The impact of the digitalization of higher education on academic performance
The digitalization of higher education has profoundly transformed pedagogical practices and learning modalities. However, its actual effect on students' academic performance remains debated. This study aims to examine the effect of three dimensions of digitalization like students' digital competencies, the pedagogical integration of digital tools by teachers, and the perceived contributions of artificial intelligence on academic performance, measured both objectively (grade point average) and subjectively (student self-assessment). The analysis is based on data collected via a questionnaire administered to 168 students at the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences of Marrakech. Data were processed using robust ordinary least squares estimation and bootstrap mediation analysis. The results highlight an important phenomenon, namely cognitive illusion: digitalization exerts no significant effect on objective academic performance, but positively influences perceived academic performance, particularly through the perceived contributions of artificial intelligence. These findings suggest that students may overestimate the benefits of digitalization on their learning outcomes, a discrepancy with important implications for educational policy and pedagogical practice. This study contributes to the literature on digital transformation in higher education by distinguishing between objective and subjective performance measures and by identifying the mediating role of cognitive perceptions in the digitalization–performance relationship.