Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to explore expectations and experiences of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT among university students and their teachers. The study reports on a survey that was distributed in 2023 among master students and teachers at a Swedish technological university. The specific context of the study is a Master program in Real Estate and Construction Management given as a two-year advanced programme.

ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) is a language processing tool, a type of generative AI, that was introduced to the market in Swedish by Open AI in 2022. ChatGPT allows to have human conversations with a chatbot (a learning language model) that can answer questions and help out with tasks like writing essays and code.

ChatGPT is presently not used as an integrated educational tool at the studied Swedish university and although the faculty is discussing the present development and its’ effects on future teaching methods no general decision have been made on how to develop pedagogics for higher education with regard to generative AI and ChatGPT. This is a cause for some confusion among both teachers and students.

Statistical analysis of survey results on the two groups – students and teachers – includes variables operationalizing: attitudes towards AI; expectations about personal benefit from using ChatGPT; expectations on students’ learning; expectations on changes in teaching; expectations on workload; previous experience of ChatGPT. Students’ expectations on teachers as well as teachers’ expectations on students are examined with regard to control variables displaying the respondents’ characteristics. In addition, the effect of gender and age among the two groups on expectations and experiences of ChatGPT is investigated as well as students’ extra needs of assistance or tools for learning.

The paper presents an up-to-date report on important aspects of the ”hot topic” of the introduction of new educational tools using generative AI. It enhances the understanding of university students’ and teachers’ experiences and expectations of ChatGPT and through comparison of the two groups highlights possible mismatches between the groups that can affect planned courses, pedagogics and in a longer perspective the university as a learning environment.

Keywords:

Generative AI, chatGPT, survey, technology-enhanced learning environment.