Exploring Computer Science Students’ Perception of ChatGPT in Higher Education: A Descriptive and Correlation Study

Abstract

ChatGPT is an emerging tool that can be employed in many activities including in learning/teaching in universities. Like many other tools, it has its benefits and its drawbacks. If used properly, it can improve learning, and if used irresponsibly, it can have a negative impact on learning. The aim of this research is to study how ChatGPT can be used in academia to improve teaching/learning activities. In this paper, we study students’ opinions about how the tool can be used positively in learning activities. A survey is conducted among 430 students of an MSc degree in computer science at the University of Hertfordshire, UK, and their opinions about the tool are studied. The survey tries to capture different aspects in which the tool can be employed in academia and the ways in which it can harm or help students in learning activities. The findings suggest that many students are familiar with the tool but do not regularly use it for academic purposes. Moreover, students are skeptical of its positive impacts on learning and think that universities should provide more vivid guidelines and better education on how and where the tool can be used for learning activities. The students’ feedback responses are analyzed and discussed and the authors’ opinions regarding the subject are presented. This study shows that ChatGPT can be helpful in learning/teaching activities, but better guidelines should be provided for the students in using the tool.

Writing with AI: University Students’ Use of ChatGPT

“…Of those who reported having used ChatGPT, only four students shared that they were caught, that is, that the instructor noticed that they had used ChatGPT for their written assignment. The result regarding the prevalence of use is in line with that of Singh et al (2023) who found that although UK students were generally familiar with the tool, they reported not using it on a regular basis. However, these findings contradict those of Jowarder ( 2023) who found that most US students in his study were familiar with ChatGPT and had indeed used it in their education.…”

“…For example, Singh et al (2023) carried out a study using a 12-item questionnaire on 430 university students of computer science in the United Kingdom. The results showed that…”

“…Indeed, other researchers on the topic (e.g., Jowarder, 2023;Ngo, 2023;Singh et al, 2023;Yilmaz & Karaoglan Yilmaz, 2023) have also highlighted the importance of providing guidelines to students.…”

A multinational study on the factors influencing university students’ attitudes and usage of ChatGPT

“…On one hand, these tools can be valuable in delivering timely, efficient, and www.nature.com/scientificreports/ personalized support to a broad student population promoting equity in education [71][72][73][74] . On the other hand, valid concerns should be emphasized including the possible generation of inaccurate and biased educational content among other ethical concerns 1,5,75,76 . Additionally, Safranek et al highlighted the current limitations of ChatGPT in medical education including the inability to provide comprehensive contextual information along with its lack of intuitive patient assessment capabilities which are essential skills acquired during medical education 75 .…”

A longitudinal study on artificial intelligence adoption: understanding the drivers of ChatGPT usage behavior change in higher education

“…This study addresses a well-defined problem that lies at the intersection of technology acceptance, and higher education, exploring the adoption of ChatGPT by students. In this context, recent studies (Rudolph et al, 2023;Shoufan, 2023;Singh et al, 2023) have already provided initial findings on students' perceptions, beliefs and functionalities of ChatGPT, offering foundational insights into its application in educational contexts. Yet, it is essential to consider the temporal dynamics of such adoption due to the evolving nature of interactions with emerging AI chatbots.…”