Students in Sweden are embracing AI tools like ChatGPT in education but are drawing the line when it comes to using chatbots for cheating during exams, with 62 percent considering it as cheating.
However, determining the boundary for cheating remains unclear. These findings are from a survey conducted by Chalmers University of Technology and is the first large-scale study in Europe exploring students' attitudes towards artificial intelligence in higher education.
Students Embrace AI
The survey collected comments from almost two thousand students, reflecting their strong and varied opinions on AI. Many students expressed positive sentiments, believing that ChatGPT and similar tools will revolutionize learning and enable them to achieve remarkable outcomes.
"The students express strong, diverse, and in many cases emotionally charged opinions," said Hans Malmström, Professor at the Department of Communication and Learning in Science at Chalmers University of Technology.
A large number of participants recognized the advantages of chatbots and AI language tools, affirming that these tools boost their effectiveness as learners and enhance their writing and language abilities. ChatGPT had high familiarity among nearly all students, and a notable 35 percent reported regular usage of the chatbot.
Despite their positive perception of AI, a considerable portion of students expressed uncertainty and a lack of clear instructions on how to ethically utilize AI in their educational settings. Determining the point at which AI usage becomes cheating posed a challenge.
While students viewed chatbots as mentors or teachers for seeking assistance and explanations, they emphasized the importance of chatbots complementing their own critical thinking rather than replacing it.
The prevailing sentiment was that chatbots should serve as aids, with students possessing the same abilities independently of AI reliance.
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AI's Role for Students with Disabilities
The survey also shed light on the significant role of AI as a valuable tool for students with disabilities. One student with ADD and dyslexia shared their experience of using ChatGPT to enhance their responses, likening it to "being color blind and suddenly being able to see all the beautiful colors."
The researchers believe that the comprehensive report summarizing the survey results gives students a platform to voice their opinions and contributes to our understanding of AI and its impact on education.
They hope that these findings will lead to improved guidance and regulations regarding the responsible use of AI in educational settings.
The study, titled "Chatbots and Other AI for Learning: A Survey on Use and Views among university students in Sweden," involved 5,894 students from various universities in Sweden. It revealed that 95 percent of students were familiar with ChatGPT, but awareness of other chatbots was low.
Meanwhile, 56 percent had a positive outlook on using chatbots, with 35 percent regularly utilizing ChatGPT.
Furthermore, 60 percent of the respondents expressed their disagreement with a ban on chatbots, while an overwhelming 77 percent were opposed to prohibiting other AI tools, such as Grammarly, in educational contexts.
A considerable number of students were unsure about the existence of guidelines regarding the use of AI in their institutions, and 62 percent considered the use of chatbots during exams as a form of cheating.
The study's findings were published in Chalmers Research.
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