Generative AI use among Slovenian lower secondary studentsArcet, Barbara (Avtor) Dolenc, Kosta (Avtor) Kranjec, Eva (Avtor) generative AIlower secondary studentsstudents’ attitudesThis study examined lower secondary students’ self-reported use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for schoolwork across four modalities (text, image, audio, and video), and tested how attitudes grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) relates to usage. A total of 312 grade 7–9 students from Slovenian primary schools participated in the study. The final analytic sample comprised 229 students (47.2% female; Mage = 13.2 years) who reported at least minimal familiarity with GenAI. Students completed an online questionnaire assessing frequency of tool use and five attitude components (teacher support, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, experience, and attitudes toward learning with GenAI). Text generation tools were used more frequently than image, audio, or video generation tools. Text tool use was higher among ninth graders than seventh and eighth graders. Text tool use correlated positively with perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and experience, and negatively with attitudes toward learning with GenAI. In multiple regression, only perceived usefulness uniquely predicted text tool use, with attitudes explaining 13.7% of variance. Findings indicate that GenAI uptake is currently text-centric and primarily associated with perceived usefulness/performance expectancy, while perceived teacher support (facilitating conditions) shows weak links to use.20262026-03-20 08:36:53Znanstveno delo97569sl