Redefining Sport Management Education Using Artificial Intelligence Through ChatGPT

By Ashutosh RoyReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Jul 5 2023

The introduction of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, in the latter part of 2022 prompted considerable interest in the potentially disruptive impact of this technology on education. However, one specific concern revolves around the potential negative impact of increasingly advanced AI on education, as it may lead to a decline in intellectual capacity among individuals who rely heavily on computers for research purposes. The abundance of articles highlighting these concerns illustrates how individuals may be deprived of the opportunity to acquire these skills independently. The utilization of AI in higher education encompasses various domains.

The pertinent inquiry in an article recently published in the journal Elsevier revolves around the potential impact of AI on education, specifically within the realm of sport management education, and whether it will yield advantageous or detrimental outcomes. The study's results reveal the advantages and disadvantages associated with implementing  AI chatbots, specifically ChatGPT, within the context of sports management higher education classrooms. This study presents pragmatic recommendations regarding the potential of ChatGPT to enhance and facilitate sport management education.

Background

AI is employed in higher education through various means, including intelligent tutoring systems, the anticipation of student achievement and persistence, assessment, and evaluation practices, grading and feedback mechanisms, and adaptive or personalized systems. Likewise, the field of AI research has a history spanning approximately three decades.

However, in more recent times, educators have increasingly embraced and delved into the possibilities of employing AI for educational objectives. Nevertheless, most academic research on AI primarily concentrates on disciplines other than sport management.

Several scholars and individuals from both within and outside the field of education have expressed concerns regarding the potential impact of ChatGPT on the fundamental aspects of higher education. Nevertheless, one must consider whether the disruption is inherently negative or if it may serve as a necessary catalyst for change within the context of sport management. This prompts questions like, how can an AI tool such as ChatGPT be effectively employed within the context of sport management education?

This study aims to address a knowledge gap in sport management education by examining the application of AI for pedagogical purposes. This study focuses on the examination of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that has been purported to have accelerated or initiated an AI Arms Race.

ChatGPT in sports management education

The sports industry is characterized by its intricate nature and frequently necessitates well-defined disciplinary boundaries. This industry exhibits numerous intersections with other sectors and additional subcategories, such as retail, media, and sport marketing enterprises. Like various other disciplines, this field has experienced significant transformations due to the rapid progress of technology, the utilization of big data, and the constantly evolving technological environment. The exploration and application of AI in higher education is a well-established and widely recognized practice.

ChatGPT is known for its robust capabilities and functionality. The release of ChatGPT prompted a surge of articles across the internet and news outlets discussing the potentially transformative impact of ChatGPT on various aspects of society. In a similar vein, numerous sources and reports have highlighted the potential disruption that ChatGPT could bring to various industries, including higher education. This phenomenon has been called an industry disruptor and a pivotal moment for AI. The advent of ChatGPT has generated considerable attention and debate within higher education, eliciting both favorable and critical responses.

Major findings

The primary objective of this study was to assess the quality of short answer responses generated by ChatGPT about sport management inquiries. Additionally, the study sought to provide recommendations on the effective utilization of ChatGPT in various functional domains within the field of sport management. The research conducted in this study was exploratory in nature, and the methodology employed was a generic qualitative inquiry. The study's findings suggest that ChatGPT can generate grammatically sound responses that are comprehensive and relevant to the given short answer questions.

In essence, this study answers queries like:

• What are the distinguishing features of the content produced by ChatGPT? Is the sport management content generated by ChatGPT grammatically correct, accurate, and comprehensive?
• In what manner can sport management educators effectively employ ChatGPT? The purpose and research questions of this paper are guided by the theory of disruptive innovation.
• What is the overall quality assessment of short answer outputs generated by ChatGPT in the context of sport management?
• What is the assessment of grammar quality in short answer outputs related to sport management in ChatGPT?
• To what extent do short answer outputs generated by ChatGPT in sport management demonstrate completeness in providing accurate and comprehensive answers?
• What is the level of topical accuracy in the short answer outputs of ChatGPT in the field of sport management?
•  How can the utilization of ChatGPT contribute to improving sport management education?

Conclusion

To sum up, AI-facilitated learning could improve education. ChatGPT can improve student learning and help faculty build course content. Future research could focus on longitudinal studies and quantitative methodologies.

ChatGPT and other AI-based systems have garnered praise but have prompted ethical issues. Despite these concerns, sports administration and higher education must learn how to incorporate ChatGPT and other AI-based applications. These technologies make course restructuring and rethinking education inevitable. However, educators and students must be aware of human reasoning, cognition, and knowledge-generation concepts.