AI is still a relatively new tool; how is it being used by students?
On the 30th of November 2022 OpenAI released their first version of ChatGPT to the world. AI was already a big part of our life even before this release. Vox demonstrates this with their ‘We are using AI more than we realise’ video.
“Imagine a day like this: you do some exercise with a smartwatch, put on a suggested playlist, go to a friend’s house and ring their camera doorbell, browse recommended shows on Netflix, check your spam folder for an email you’ve been waiting for.”
All of the above-mentioned activities, and more are made possible with some version of artificial intelligence. Now, with the release of ChatGPT and other machine learning chatbots, we as individuals can use Generative AI as a tool to assist us in day-to-day work.
Generative AI for students
When it comes to students, Generative AI appears to be the newest tool to assist with learning, such as calculators, spell checkers and translators. It could be used to assist with researching information, summarising and simplifying difficult readings, spell checking, generating ideas and more. However, it soon became apparent that AI was not being used as a tool to learn but rather, as a way to cheat and hinder learning.
This has led to varying views on its adoption in education as a whole. One side believes it should be restricted because of academic dishonesty, as well as the potential to stump learning. The other embraces that it can become a tool that will facilitate tasks and heighten the learning experience. It’s been more than two years since intelligent chatbots have been present and usage has become more common. So how are the students using it?
How much do students use AI?
When someone logs on Google Trends and looks up Chat GPT, they will find a very interesting graph. In the UK Since its inception, Chat GPT usage appears to always go up during academic periods, then harshly fall during holidays, especially the summer. This trend suggests that there is a heavy use among students, but how reliable is this?
Multiple studies and surveys have been conducted recently on students usage across different countries. A 2023 Croatian study surveyed university students on their attitude towards it. The survey revealed that 55% of the students that participated use Chat GPT. 36% of the Chat GPT users used it to write parts of their assignments and 18% used it to write the assignment in its entirety.
A 2024 study published in the Irish Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning highlights that 75% of their participants surveyed across different UK universities use Chat GPT to aid their studies in some way or another. Similarly, another study conducted by EZH Zurich surveyed one fifth of their 25,000 student pool to gauge their use of chat GPT and other artificial intelligence learning tools. The survey found that on average students claim medium familiarity with intelligence tools, stretching from coding assistants, chatbots to image generators.
A report published by the UK Government, highlights that usage among students in the UK in an education context may vary between 14%-67% of students. Students are widely aware of artificial intelligence tools, and even if they do not engage with them, they are at least familiar with them and their functions.
Student Use and Thoughts on Usage
The EZH Zurich survey asked its participants to assess whether it is cheating to use AI tools in written assessments and exams. 29.7% of the respondents thought it should be allowed, whilst 18% thought it should be considered cheating or plagiarism. The rest of the respondents were somewhere in the middle or undecided. This contrast in the surveys highlights that even among students the consensus of usage varies from person to person.
Similarly, The UK Literary trust annual literary survey aimed at people aged between 13-18 reveals that 20.9% of respondents copy results from Generative Artificial Intelligence tools. However, the survey also reveals that 47.4% of respondents always add or edit what these tools produce and that 39.9% also cross check to see if the information generated is correct or viable. The stark contrast reveals students are either taking advantage of the tools to enhance their learning or using it to do their assignment for them.
What Can Change?
Generative AI and other tools were released with little regulations and standards on proper usage. A likely solution to this issue is to just make sure students are more informed regarding policies and learn about its adoption and ethical usage. The Irish AI study highlights that students felt that there was a ‘dark cloud’ and were unsure of their universities policies on AI usage. The Zurich study highlights that only 17% of students had encountered AI in teaching and learning, and these instances did not involve learning about proper and ethical AI use.
A possible step forward is to engage students in workshops and lectures exploring proper usage, as well as making clear policies regarding usage in an educational context.
Usage is now fairly common among students, and as time goes on it will only become more prevalent, most likely it will lead to a 100% conquest of use across all sectors of education. Until then, students will keep using it as they wish, until further guidance and instruction is given.
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