Cited by 40Artificial Intelligence in EducationAcademic integrity and plagiarismArtificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education

It Helps with Crap Lecturers and Their Low Effort: Investigating Computer Science Students’ Perceptions of Using ChatGPT for Learning

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Bikanga Ada, Mireilla·2024·Education Sciences

Abstract

This study explores how computing science students (n = 335) use ChatGPT, their trust in its information, their navigation of plagiarism issues, and their confidence in addressing plagiarism and academic integrity. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative survey data with a qualitative thematic analysis of student comments to provide a comprehensive understanding of these issues. The findings reveal that ChatGPT has become integral to students’ academic routines, with 87.8% using it weekly with variable frequency. Most students (70.3%) believe the university should allow ChatGPT use, and 66.6% think it is fair to use it for academic purposes despite 57.4% distrusting its information. Additionally, 53.8% worry about accidentally plagiarising when using ChatGPT. Overall, students have moderate confidence in addressing these academic integrity issues, with no differences between undergraduate and postgraduate students. Male students reported higher confidence in handling plagiarism and academic integrity issues than female students, suggesting underlying differences in how students perceive and interact with generative AI technologies. A thematic analysis of 74 student comments on their ChatGPT experience revealed four themes: (a) Usage and Role of ChatGPT, (b) Ethical and Responsible Use, (c) Limitations and Accuracy, and (d) Impact on Education and Need for Clear Guidelines. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on accepting and using ChatGPT, highlighting the need for institutions to provide clear guidelines and ethical considerations to ensure responsible use within educational contexts.

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Crossref · 10.3390/educsci14101106

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  • Educators are introducing AI ethics education to address bias, transparency, and accountability in algorithmic decision-making.

    “educators are introducing AI ethics education to address issues such as bias, transparency, and accountability in algorithmic decision-making (Bikanga Ada, 2024; Haroud & Saqri, 2025; Valdivieso & González, 2025; Z. Wang et al., 2025).”

    From Six Institutional Intervention Areas to Support Ethical and Effective Student Use of Generative AI in Higher Education: A Narrative Review (2026) · cites this paper as Bikanga Ada, 2024

    Sections 5.6.2 and 5.6.3 recommend AI-literacy workshops in which students assess bias and discuss ethical use of ChatGPT. They do not establish that educators are already introducing such education, or that it addresses transparency and accountability in algorithmic decision-making. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Bikanga Ada [43] found that students were aware of these ethical dilemmas posed by GenAI tools and wanted more comprehensive policies and educational programs to help navigate these challenges.

    “A study by Bikanga Ada [43] found that students were aware of these ethical dilemmas posed by GenAI tools and wanted more comprehensive policies and educational programs to help navigate these challenges.”
  • Bikanga Ada [43] found that over half the respondents were concerned about accidentally plagiarizing when using ChatGPT.

    “A study by Bikanga Ada [43] found that over half the respondents were concerned about accidentally plagiarizing when using ChatGPT.”
  • Such practices undermine the intended learning objectives of assessments, as students may pass a course by mastering the use of GenAI tools rather than through understanding the content.

    “Such practices undermine the intended learning objectives of assessments, as students may pass a course by mastering the use of GenAI tools rather than through understanding the content [43].”

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Bikanga Ada, M.
Affiliations
School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
Venue
Education Sciences
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2024-10-11
Volume
14
Issue
10
Pages
1106
ISSN
2227-7102 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4403339441
Cited by
40
References
19
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 21
FWCI
15.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Education Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Glasgow
  • College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Artificial Intelligence in Education
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Academic integrity and plagiarism
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Health Informatics › Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
Keywords
ChatGPT, generative AI in education, computer science students, student perceptions, academic integrity, plagiarism, responsible AI use, gender differences, undergraduate and graduate students

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