When ChatGPT launched last November, there was a lot of speculation about the technology’s impact on teaching and learning in colleges.
While there was panic about what cheating could mean, there was also excitement about helping students learn and academics teaching.
But what really happened with universities returning to teaching and research?
Our new study explores how Australian students and academics discovered ChatGPT in their first semester of college with this new technology.
story so far
When ChatGPT was released at the end of 2022, academics were “stunned” by how easily they could write college-level essays and pass several exams. And it does so in a way that is almost indistinguishable from human students.
While this immediately raised concerns about fraud and academic integrity, some hoped that ChatGPT and similar technologies could improve teaching, learning and assessment. Experts suggest that generative AI tools could support deeper learning for students and save scholars time preparing lessons.
In doing so, it is necessary to place more emphasis on the student’s perspective. After all, they are at the center of this change.
our research
From late April to late May 2023, we conducted an online survey of Australian academics and university students.
The 110 respondents (78 students and 32 academics) represented all states and territories and various university courses and areas of study.
This article is about student results only.
Many students are not using ChatGPT at this time
At this early stage, nearly half of the student respondents had never tried or used generative AI.
Of this group, 85% had no intention of using this technology in college this year. Our findings suggest that students may be worried about being perceived as cheating.
This group of non-AI students had a strong association between the use of generative AI in assessments and cheating (85%). This was significantly higher than those who have used AI (41%).
In their written responses, some students indicated that they avoided it because they felt it was unethical. A student told us:
“Current AI is harmless, but I think there are serious questions about whether future advances will be safe for humanity.”
Students also listed other concerns, such as unreliable information.
“The information given may be biased. [It’s] Generative AI can often not say exactly where it got information from, making fact-checking very difficult. For similar reasons, plagiarism and piracy also occur. ”
“It’s super convenient”
Students who have used generative AI said they use it as a “launching pad” for brainstorming ideas, gaining a deeper understanding of a topic, and writing essay structures.
“I use it to summarize long articles.” […] Used for feedback and suggestions for improvement. ”
They emphasized the interactive nature of programs such as ChatGPT. They said it was like a ‘partner’ in learning. As one student said,
“I find this very useful (especially with COVID-19 disrupting face-to-face learning and peer study groups). It’s a great learning partner or support.”
Another person told us:
“It leads to a more efficient use of time and energy. I feel less stressed and anxious about assessments and feel like I have study buddies and friends to help me.”
As you can see, generative AI is being used as a way to help manage stress. This is important because previous research suggests that increased stress may increase students’ desire to cheat.
but the students are confused
Students reported confusion about how they could and “should” use this technology.
For example, opinions were split on whether universities should be allowed to use generative AI for assessment, with 46% agreeing, 36% disagreeing, and 16% uncertain. Nearly a quarter of students reported feeling uneasy about using generative AI in the general environment of their university, and only 8% of them felt very positive.
This confused reaction is not surprising. Many universities have not yet provided clear guidance on this. When the policy was reviewed in May this year, less than a third of the world’s top 500 universities had a clear reaction (either positive or negative) to the availability of ChatGPT. bottom.
what happened now?
As generative AI continues to evolve, it presents an opportunity to explore new frontiers in higher education. In the early stages, you realize that it’s not all scary or bad.
But our research shows that some students may not want to get involved with technology unless the ‘right’ way is clear and access and use is fair and ethical.
As college graduates enter the workforce in the age of AI, employee voice will matter. But we also need to keep listening to our students.
Our research will continue to monitor how students and academics are using generative AI as we enter the second semester.
We encourage students and academics to contribute their opinions. Our survey is anonymous and can be accessed here.
