Examining Students' Perceptions, Experiences, and Ethical Concerns about Using ChatGPT for Academic Support: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

University students have used ChatGPT extensively to complete their academic tasks since its release in November 2022. The objective of the paper was to explore university students’ perceptions regarding the role of ChatGPT in enhancing their academic performance and their concerns regarding the ethical and social implications of using ChatGPT in their academic tasks. The research design of the current qualitative study was phenomenology. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with eight participants selected purposefully from a private-sector university in Lahore. We used NVivo software (version 14) for data analysis. Clarke and Braun’s (2013) guide for thematic analysis was followed to read, review, and identify the codes, patterns, and themes. The analysis revealed that the majority of respondents believed that ChatGPT is a very effective tool that offers practical support to them in generating innovative ideas for solving academic problems. Students also showed serious concerns about the lack of clarity and policy guidelines for effectively using ChatGPT in writing their academic tasks. Based on the study findings, we suggest universities should develop and enforce a policy clarifying the limitations and scope of ChatGPT.