[Paper Review] The use of ChatGPT in higher education: The advantages and disadvantages

Joshua Ebere Chukwuere|arXiv (Cornell University)|Mar 28, 2024

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and EducationMedicine3 citations

TL;DR

This paper examines the integration of ChatGPT in higher education, analyzing its benefits—such as personalized learning, instant feedback, and improved accessibility—and its drawbacks, including emotional misinterpretation, reduced social interaction, and overreliance risks. The study concludes that ChatGPT should be combined with traditional teaching methods to ensure a balanced, comprehensive educational experience.

ABSTRACT

Higher education scholars are interested in an artificial intelligence (AI) technology called ChatGPT, which was developed by OpenAI. Whether ChatGPT can improve learning is still a topic of debate among experts. This concise overview of the literature examines the application of ChatGPT in higher education to comprehend and produce high-level instruction. By examining the essential literature, this study seeks to provide a thorough assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing ChatGPT in higher education settings. But it's crucial to consider both the positive and negative elements. For this rapid review, the researcher searched Google Scholar, Scopus, and others between January 2023 and July 2023 for prior research from various publications. These studies were examined. The study found that employing ChatGPT in higher education is beneficial for a number of reasons. It can provide individualized instruction, and prompt feedback, facilitate access to learning, and promote student interaction. These benefits could improve the learning environment and make it more fun for academics and students. The cons of ChatGPT are equally present. These problems include the inability to comprehend emotions, the lack of social interaction chances, technological limitations, and the dangers of depending too much on ChatGPT for higher education. Higher education should combine ChatGPT with other teaching techniques to provide students and lecturers with a comprehensive education. However, it is crucial to consider the positives, negatives, and moral issues before adopting ChatGPT in the classroom.

Motivation & Objective

• To evaluate the impact of ChatGPT on teaching and learning in higher education institutions.
• To identify the key advantages of integrating ChatGPT into academic instruction and assessment.
• To examine the limitations and ethical concerns associated with overreliance on AI in academic environments.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for the responsible integration of ChatGPT in higher education curricula.

Proposed method

• Conducted a rapid literature review using Google Scholar, Scopus, and other academic databases.
• Searched for peer-reviewed publications and relevant studies on ChatGPT in higher education from January 2023 to July 2023.
• Synthesized findings from existing literature to assess both positive and negative impacts of ChatGPT.
• Evaluated the technology’s role in enhancing personalized learning, feedback delivery, and student engagement.
• Identified technological, pedagogical, and ethical limitations through thematic analysis of the literature.
• Proposed a balanced integration model combining ChatGPT with traditional teaching methods.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the primary advantages of using ChatGPT in higher education settings?
• RQ2 What are the major limitations and risks associated with ChatGPT use in academic instruction?
• RQ3 How can ChatGPT be ethically and effectively integrated into higher education curricula?
• RQ4 What are the implications of overreliance on ChatGPT for student learning and academic integrity?
• RQ5 How does ChatGPT affect student engagement and the quality of academic interaction in higher education?

Key findings

• ChatGPT enhances personalized learning by adapting responses to individual student needs and learning paces.
• The model provides immediate feedback on assignments and queries, improving learning efficiency.
• Students report increased access to learning resources and support, especially outside regular class hours.
• ChatGPT facilitates greater student interaction through real-time Q&A and discussion prompts.
• The technology lacks emotional intelligence, which limits its ability to understand or respond to student affective states.
• Overreliance on ChatGPT poses risks to academic integrity and may reduce opportunities for meaningful human interaction in learning environments.