Use of ChatGPT by students: artificial intelligence is all the rage!

In this anonymous survey, students were asked whether they regularly use artificial intelligence tools, and if so, which ones (a few examples were given, including ChatGPT, Google Translate and DeepL), in what situations they use them, and the benefits they have seen from using them.

What emerges from the results? Only 13% of the students questioned had already used ChatGPT as part of their course. The majority of students use ChatGPT for courses in mathematics, programming and languages. Users identified 3 main advantages to using ChatGPT: the explanation given by the tool, its speed and its simplicity. 

But what also emerges from this survey, to which 1,233 block 1 students responded, is that a large majority of respondents have already used artificial intelligence tools as part of their courses: 67% of them use Google translate and 39% use DeepL (another translation tool). What do they use these artificial intelligence tools for? To help them define a word, to better understand a lesson, to illustrate a concept or to solve an exercise.

According to the SPU, there are 4 main lessons:

1. Students need to be made aware of what artificial intelligence really is (in particular, they need to be aware that it is not neutral under its "nice" or "benevolent" exterior);
2. They must also develop their questioning and critical thinking skills;
3. It would also be interesting, more generally, to reflect on plagiarism and more particularly on AI-plagiarism;
4. Teachers must be aware that students use artificial intelligence. Including it in courses could be a way of raising students' awareness of the benefits and pitfalls of AI.

This survey was carried out between 1 February and 8 March 2023 among all Block 1 students at UNamur.

The research team behind the study:  

• Marie LOBET, assistant at the University Pedagogy Department
• Antoine HONET, doctoral student in physics at the Solid State Physics Laboratory
• Valérie WATHELET, teaching coordinator at the University Teaching Department