University student readiness and academic integrity in using ChatGPT and AI tools for assessments

Abstract

This chapter explores the use of ChatGPT for academic support in higher education, concentrating on students’ readiness, perception of its usefulness, and understanding of academic integrity issues. A quantitative approach with a non-experimental design was employed. The study involved 374 university students as participants, with data cleaning and validation carried out using WINSTEPS software and further analysis was conducted using Rasch Rating Scale Model. The key findings highlight varied levels of student readiness and awareness concerning the use of ChatGPT and adherence to academic integrity. The study points to the urgent need for universities to provide more explicit guidelines on using artificial intelligence (AI) tools within academic contexts. The results reveal that while students see the potential benefits of ChatGPT in aiding their studies, many lack full preparedness for its incorporation into their academic routines. The analysis of variance indicated significant differences in the readiness and perceived usefulness of ChatGPT among students based on the frequency of its usage. However, there were no significant differences in terms of academic integrity across different demographic groups. This research contributes to the understanding of how students perceive and engage with AI tools in higher education. It also provides insights on the future of digital assessments in higher education, particularly how AI tools like ChatGPT might reshape assessment methods, particularly in upholding academic integrity and honesty.