This paper aims to investigate the perceptions of university students – future teachers – about generative artificial intelligence agents and, in particular, ChatGPT, concerning its use in teaching and learning, as well as its applications in higher education. It is a mixed-method study based on a questionnaire. The participants, first-year students, were asked about their intentions to use ChatGPT and the benefits or challenges they perceive in using it. Preliminary results reveal that most of the students had no or scarce experience, and the views expressed were more or less focused on the general characteristics of this tool. The most common statements concerning the benefits are the availability and personalised feedback. Additionally, they mainly express concerns about reliability and the fact that it does not really understand the meaning of the conversation. Moreover, being future teachers, they are also worried about the possible implications for their careers.

Authors: Maria Tsiani, Ioannis Lefkos, Nikolaos Fachantidis

Published in: Ireland International Conference on Education (IICE-2024)

• Date of Conference: 2-4 April, 2024
• DOI: 10.20533/IICE.2024.0017
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-70-9
• Conference Location: Dún Laoghaire, Ireland