In an article published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers investigated the factors affecting university students' attitudes toward using chat generative pre-trained transformers (ChatGPT), especially in Arabic countries. They provided a deeper insight that can inform educators, policymakers, and academic institutions on the possibilities and concerns regarding ChatGPT integration within academia.
Study: Understanding the Adoption of ChatGPT in Higher Education. Image credit: SomYuZu/Shutterstock
Moreover, they validated the technology acceptance model edited by ChatGPT (TAME-ChatGPT) as a potential tool for evaluating ChatGPT adoption among students. The research also highlighted that the integration of ChatGPT in higher education relies on parameters such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, positive attitude towards technology, behavioral and cognitive elements, social influence, minimal perceived risks, and low anxiety.
Background
Artificial intelligence (AI) represents a branch of computer science aiming to create machines or systems capable of performing tasks that typically mimic human intelligence, including reasoning, learning, decision-making, natural language processing, and computer vision. AI has found applications across various domains, such as health care, education, business, entertainment, and security.
One of the latest neural network-based AI is ChatGPT which is a large language model (LLM). It is designed to generate natural language texts in response to user queries or prompts, leveraging a large corpus of text data from the internet. This model can produce coherent and fluent texts on diverse topics, ranging from news, fiction, poetry, code, and lyrics to answering questions and translating languages. LLMs like ChatGPT can revolutionize teaching in higher education, especially in fields such as healthcare education, presenting promising possibilities to reform learning and teaching processes.
About the Research
In the present paper, the authors discussed that using ChatGPT and other AI-based tools in higher education could have significant implications for the teaching and learning processes, as well as the academic outcomes and experiences of students and instructors. However, the adoption of ChatGPT in higher education was influenced by factors such as perceived usefulness, ease of use, risks, and attitudes of the users.
The study analyzed the extent and determinants of ChatGPT usage among Arabic-speaking university students. It also confirmed the validity of the TAME-ChatGPT survey instrument, improving the understanding of the complex factors influencing ChatGPT adoption in educational settings from the student's perspective. The TAME-ChatGPT instrument was shown to be a reliable, valid, and practical tool to assess university students' attitudes towards ChatGPT.
The data sample was collected utilizing a non-probability sampling, also known as a convenience-based approach. The research was hosted on Google Forms and was distributed by authors from multiple Arabic-speaking countries. The final sample comprised a total of 2240 subjects who completed from five countries, including Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, and Lebanon, with a mean age of 22.25 ± 4.58 years. Among all the participants, 72.1% were females. Moreover, 46.8% of the attendants were aware of ChatGPT, and among them, 52.6% had used ChatGPT before taking part in the survey.
Research Findings
The outcomes revealed a generally positive attitude towards ChatGPT and its application in the study sample, as indicated by the descriptive analyses of key TAME-ChatGPT constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the adequacy of these constructs. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the attitude towards ChatGPT usage was significantly influenced by factors such as country of residence, age, university type, and recent academic performance.
The results highlighted that university students' adoption of ChatGPT was influenced by socio-demographic variables and various TAM constructs modeled in 'TAME-ChatGPT.' The study also uncovered both positive and negative perceptions of ChatGPT among participating students, reflecting the ongoing debate regarding its use.
Successful integration of tools, like ChatGPT, depends on various factors for both students and instructors. Notably, the perception of risks played a significant role in ChatGPT adoption. Therefore, perceived risk played a decisive role in its acceptance in teaching and learning processes.
Additionally, perceived ease of use, a crucial factor driving acceptance, and perceived usefulness, facilitating academic activities and saving time contributed to the adoption of ChatGPT. Moreover, a complex cognitive and behavioral determinant, along with social influence, perceived enjoyment, and attitude towards technology collectively influenced the acceptance of novel technologies like ChatGPT in the learning process.
Conclusion
The authors summarized that the TAME-ChatGPT instrument is a useful tool to assess the factors influencing the adoption of ChatGPT by university students. They revealed that ChatGPT is an effective tool for enhancing the learning process in higher education, especially in fields like healthcare education. Moreover, several factors that can affect the attitude and usage of ChatGPT among students were identified.
The research also demonstrated that the adoption of ChatGPT can vary depending on the socio-demographic characteristics of the students, such as the country of residence, age, university type, and academic performance. It suggested that the integration of ChatGPT in higher education should be tailored to individual contexts, considering the variations in student attitudes and preferences. The researchers recommended that the use of ChatGPT in higher education should be regulated by appropriate policies and guidelines, ensuring the quality, reliability, and ethics of the AI-generated content.
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