Higher education students' perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions.
| Title: | Higher education students' perceptions of ChatGPT: A global study of early reactions. |
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| Authors: | Ravšelj D; Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; Keržič D; Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; Tomaževič N; Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; Umek L; Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; Brezovar N; Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; A Iahad N; Department of Information Systems, Faculty of Management, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.; Abdulla AA; Department of Computer Science and IT, State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), Zanzibar, Tanzania.; Akopyan A; Department of English for the Humanities, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia.; Aldana Segura MW; Education Department, Galileo University, Guatemala, Guatemala.; Physics Department, San Carlos de Guatemala University, Guatemala, Guatemala.; AlHumaid J; Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.; Allam MF; Department of Family Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.; Alló M; Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of A Coruna, A Coruna, Spain.; Andoh RPK; Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.; Andronic O; Innovation and eHealth Center, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania.; Arthur YD; Department of Mathematics Education, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Mathematics Education, Akenten Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED), Kumasi, Ghana.; Aydın F; Faculty of Education, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Türkiye.; Badran A; Faculty of Dentistry, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.; Balbontín-Alvarado R; Faculty of Education and Humanities, University of Bío Bío, Chillán, Chile.; Ben Saad H; Research Laboratory LR12SP09 'Heart Failure', Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia.; Bencsik A; Department of Management, University of Pannonia, Veszprem, Hungary.; Department of Management, J. Selye University, Komarno, Slovakia.; Benning I; Department of Mathematics & ICT Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.; Besimi A; Faculty of Contemporary Sciences and Technologies, South East European University, Tetovo, Republic of North Macedonia.; Bezerra DDS; Department of Oceanography and Limnology. Federal University of Maranhão, São Luis, Brazil.; Buizza C; Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.; Burro R; Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.; Bwalya A; Department of Biological Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University, Kitwe, Zambia.; Cachero C; Languages and Computer Systems, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain.; Castillo-Briceno P; EBIOAC Lab, Faculty of Life Sciences and Technologies, Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabi ULEAM, Manta, Ecuador.; Castro H; Department of Systems and Computing Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.; Chai CS; Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.; Charalambous C; Department of Education, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.; Chiu TKF; Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.; Clipa O; Science of Education, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Suceava, Romania.; Colombari R; Department of Economics and Social Sciences, International University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.; Corral Escobedo LJH; IAM, Physics Department, CUCEI, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico.; Costa E; Competence Center on Active and Healthy Ageing and CINTESIS@Rise, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.; Crețulescu RG; Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Sibiu, Romania.; Crispino M; Independent Researcher, Rome, Italy.; Cucari N; Department of Management, Faculty of Economics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.; Dalton F; Department of Psychology, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, Canada.; Demir Kaya M; Faculty of Letters, University of Ataturk, Erzurum, Turkiye.; Dumić-Čule I; Department of Nursing, University North, Varaždin, Croatia.; Dwidienawati D; BINUS Business School, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia.; Ebardo R; Department of Information Technology, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines.; Egbenya DL; College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.; Faris ME; Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Applied Sciences Private University, Jordan, Jordan.; Fečko M; Faculty of Public Administration, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia.; Ferrinho P; Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Associate Laboratory in Translation and Innovation Towards Global Health (LA-REAL), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Nova University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.; Florea A; Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Sibiu, Romania.; Fong CY; International College of Liberal Arts, Yamanashi Gakuin University, Kofu, Japan.; Francis Z; Department of Psychology, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, Canada.; Ghilardi A; Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.; González-Fernández B; Department of Sciences and Engineering, Ibero-American University Puebla, Puebla, Mexico.; Hau D; Department of Education and Social Work, University of Luxembourg, Belval Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.; Hossain MS; Department of Marketing, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh.; Hug T; Department of Media, Society and Communication, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.; Inasius F; School of Accounting, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia.; Ismail MJ; School of Education, State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), Zanzibar, Tanzania.; Jahić H; School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.; Jessa MO; Guidance and Counselling, Delta State University Abraka, Abraka, Nigeria.; Kapanadze M; School of Business Technology and Education, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.; Kar SK; Department of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India.; Kateeb ET; Oral Health Research and Promotion Unit, Al-Quds University. Jerusalem, Palestine.; Kaya F; Faculty of Letters, University of Ataturk, Erzurum, Turkiye.; Khadri HO; Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.; Kikuchi M; Department of Public Management. Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan.; Kobets VM; Computer Science and Software Engineering Department, Kherson State University, Kherson, Ukraine.; Kostova KM; Department of Technologies and Management of Communication Systems, Faculty of Telecommunications, Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.; Krasmane E; Department of Education, Alberta College, Riga, Latvia.; Lau J; Faculty of Pedagogy, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz, Mexico.; Law WHC; International College of Liberal Arts, Yamanashi Gakuin University, Kofu, Japan.; Lazăr F; Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.; Lazović-Pita L; School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.; Lee VWY; Centre for Learning Enhancement and Research (CLEAR), Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.; Li J; School of Foreign Languages, Jiaying University, Meizhou, China.; López-Aguilar DV; Languages Department, Indoamerica Technological University, Ambato, Ecuador.; Luca A; Department of Applied Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.; Luciano RG; College of Information and Communications Technology, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, Philippines.; Machin-Mastromatteo JD; Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico.; Madi M; Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.; Manguele AL; Health Sciences Department, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Maputo, Mozambique.; Manrique RF; Department of Systems and Computing Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.; Mapulanga T; African Centre of Excellence for Innovative Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science, University of Rwanda, Kayonza, Rwanda.; Marimon F; Department of Economics and Social Sciences, International University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.; Marinova GI; Department of Technologies and Management of Communication Systems, Faculty of Telecommunications, Technical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.; Mas-Machuca M; Department of Economics and Social Sciences, International University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.; Mejía-Rodríguez O; Medicine School, Vasco de Quiroga University, Morelia, Mexico.; Meletiou-Mavrotheris M; Department of Education, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.; Méndez-Prado SM; Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador.; Meza-Cano JM; Faculty of Higher Education Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico, State of Mexico, Mexico.; Mirķe E; Institute of Digital Humanities, Faculty of Computer Science, Information Technology and Energy, Riga Technical University, Riga. Latvia.; Mishra A; Department of Community Medicine, Kalinga Institute of Medical Science. Bhubaneswar, India.; Mital O; Faculty of Public Administration, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia.; Mollica C; Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.; Morariu DI; Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Sibiu, Romania.; Mospan N; Department of Linguistics and Translation, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Kyiv, Ukraine.; Mukuka A; Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Mukuba University, Kitwe, Zambia.; Navarro Jiménez SG; IAM, Physics Department, CUCEI, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico.; Nikaj I; Faculty of Education & Philology, University Fan S. Noli Korça, Korça, Albania.; Nisheva MM; Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria.; Nisiforou E; Department of Education, University of Nicosia, Nicosia, Cyprus.; Njiku J; Educational Psychology and Curriculum Studies, Dar es Salaam University College of Education, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.; Nomnian S; Research Institute for Languages and Cultures of Asia, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand.; Nuredini-Mehmedi L; Data Analysis Office, South East European University, Tetovo, Republic of North Macedonia.; Nyamekye E; Department of Arts Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.; Obadić A; Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.; Okela AH; Faculty of Specific Education, Minia University, Minia, Egypt.; Olenik-Shemesh D; Education & Psychology, The Research Center for Innovation in Learning Technologies, Open University of Israel, Raanana, Israel.; Ostoj I; Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, University of Economics in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.; Peralta-Rizzo KJ; Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil, Ecuador.; Peštek A; School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.; Pilav-Velić A; School of Economics and Business, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.; Pires DRM; Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Cape Verde, Praia, Cape Verde.; Rabin E; Education & Psychology, The Research Center for Innovation in Learning Technologies, Open University of Israel, Raanana, Israel.; Raccanello D; Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.; Ramie A; Nursing Department, Health Polytechnic of Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru, Indonesia.; Rashid MMU; Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali, Bangladesh.; Reuter RAP; Department of Education and Social Work, University of Luxembourg, Belval Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.; Reyes V; Facultad de Economía y Negocios, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.; Rodrigues AS; Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Viana do Castelo, Portugal.; Rodway P; Division of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society, University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom.; Ručinská S; Faculty of Public Administration, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice, Slovakia.; Sadzaglishvili S; Research Center for Advancing Science in the Social Services and Interventions, Social Work Program, Faculty of Arts and Science, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.; Salem AAMS; College of Languages & Translation, Sadat Academy for Management Sciences, Alexandria, Egypt.; Savić G; Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.; Schepman A; Division of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society, University of Chester, Chester, United Kingdom.; Shahpo SM; Department of Early Childhood, College of Sciences and Humanities Studies, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.; Snouber A; Faculty of Medicine, University of Oran1, Oran, Algeria.; Soler E; Department of Economics and Social Sciences, International University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain.; Sonyel B; Department of Educational Sciences, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Cyprus.; Stefanova E; Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria.; Stone A; School of Psychology, University of East London, London, United Kingdom.; Strzelecki A; Department of Informatics, University of Economics in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.; Tanaka T; Department of Economics, Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan.; Tapia Cortes C; Department of Education and Humanities, University of Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico.; Teira-Fachado A; Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of A Coruna, A Coruna, Spain.; Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of A Coruna, A Coruna, Spain.; Tilga H; Institute of Sport Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Tartu, Tartu. Estonia.; Titko J; EKA University of Applied Sciences, Riga, Latvia.; Tolmach M; Faculty of Distance Learning, Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, Kyiv, Ukraine.; Turmudi D; English Education Study Program, Faculty of Teachers' Training and Education, Muhammadiyah University of Metro, Metro, Indonesia.; Varela-Candamio L; Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of A Coruna, A Coruna, Spain.; Vekiri I; Department of Education, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.; Vicentini G; Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.; Woyo E; Faculty of Business & Law, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom.; Yorulmaz Ö; Department of Econometrics & Statistics, Faculty of Economics, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye.; Yunus SAS; School of Education, State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), Zanzibar, Tanzania.; Zamfir AM; Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.; National Scientific Research Institute for Labour and Social Protection, Bucharest, Romania.; Zhou M; Information and Marketing Sciences, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe.; Aristovnik A; Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. |
| Source: | PloS one [PLoS One] 2025 Feb 05; Vol. 20 (2), pp. e0315011. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Feb 05 (Print Publication: 2025). |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science |
| MeSH Terms: | Students*/psychology; Humans ; Female ; Male ; Perception ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Learning ; Generative Artificial Intelligence |
| Abstract: | The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale global study to date on how higher education students perceived the use of ChatGPT in early 2024. With a sample of 23,218 students from 109 countries and territories, the study reveals that students primarily used ChatGPT for brainstorming, summarizing texts, and finding research articles, with a few using it for professional and creative writing. They found it useful for simplifying complex information and summarizing content, but less reliable for providing information and supporting classroom learning, though some considered its information clearer than that from peers and teachers. Moreover, students agreed on the need for AI regulations at all levels due to concerns about ChatGPT promoting cheating, plagiarism, and social isolation. However, they believed ChatGPT could potentially enhance their access to knowledge and improve their learning experience, study efficiency, and chances of achieving good grades. While ChatGPT was perceived as effective in potentially improving AI literacy, digital communication, and content creation skills, it was less useful for interpersonal communication, decision-making, numeracy, native language proficiency, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students also felt that ChatGPT would boost demand for AI-related skills and facilitate remote work without significantly impacting unemployment. Emotionally, students mostly felt positive using ChatGPT, with curiosity and calmness being the most common emotions. Further examinations reveal variations in students' perceptions across different socio-demographic and geographic factors, with key factors influencing students' use of ChatGPT also being identified. Higher education institutions' managers and teachers may benefit from these findings while formulating the curricula and instructions/regulations for ChatGPT use, as well as when designing the teaching methods and assessment tools. Moreover, policymakers may also consider the findings when formulating strategies for secondary and higher education system development, especially in light of changing labor market needs and related digital skills development.; (Copyright: © 2025 Ravšelj et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.) |
| Competing Interests: | The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. |
| Comments: | Erratum in: PLoS One. 2026 May 20;21(5):e0349691. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0349691.. (PMID: 42160285) |
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| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20250205 Date Completed: 20250505 Latest Revision: 20260520 |
| Update Code: | 20260520 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC11798494 |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0315011 |
| PMID: | 39908277 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Journal Article