The Impact of ChatGPT on Learning in Higher Education – Results of a Pilot Study

Abstract

The use of ChatGPT in academic studies burst into the public consciousness during the last year. However, as being a disruptive technology in education it must be assessed and examined. The learning experiences of students in higher education can be improved by using such language models, which present new and exciting prospects. These approaches enable students to take a more active role in their learning processes by providing learning resources that are personalised to their learning objectives. Models like ChatGPT can be utilised to help students understand their learning strengths and weaknesses as well as to respond to issues they may have during the course of their studies. The usage of inventions like ChatGPT, however, raises several ethical, legal and security issues such as it is essential to protect student privacy and avoid inappropriate use of these tools. The present research explores the use of ChatGPT among university students in Hungary. The quantitative study reflects on the when, why and how to use ChatGPT in the learning process and how these students evaluate its role in higher education and in their studies. Furthermore, a theoretical research model is built to be used in future research. As a result, ChatGPT and comparable major language models can be a useful tool for improving learning opportunities in higher education. However, these technologies need to be used cautiously and issues about cyber safety and security as well as ethical issues need to be taken into consideration.