"It's the end of the world as we know it": Student teachers' attitudes towards ChatGPT

• Published in: Tímarit um uppeldi og menntun
• Main Authors: Elídóttir, Jórunn, Zophoníasdóttir, Sólveig
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Icelandic
• Published: Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands 2024
• Subjects: ChatGPT; artificial intelligence (AI); higher education; student teachers; gervigreind; háskólanám; kennaranemar; Akureyri; University of Akureyri
• Online Access: https://ojs.hi.is/index.php/tuuom/article/view/4014; https://doi.org/10.24270/tuuom.2024.33.17

This article discusses a study conducted among university students in teacher education on attitudes toward ChatGPT in the autumn of 2023. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, has grown rapidly in recent years, and AI tools have become more diverse and accessible. Academic papers on AI, especially in higher education, have steadily increased, particularly since ChatGPT became available to the public in November 2022. ChatGPT has, in many ways, marked the beginning of shifts in learning and teaching within universities, potentially leading to new, even transformative possibilities that were previously unthinkable. At the same time, concerns have arisen regarding ethical issues and academic integrity. The study presented in the article is based on a survey conducted among master’s students at the beginning and end of two courses in educational sciences. The survey was carried out twice in September and November 2023. The study aimed to examine the attitudes of student teachers at the University of Akureyri towards ChatGPT in autumn 2023, highlighting the opportunities and challenges of using the tool in higher education, and to explore how they envision utilizing the tool in the future. Additionally, the study examined whether attitudes and usage as regards ChatGPT by student teachers changed over the semester. Data were collected through an online survey administered to the same group of students on campus during two short-term study periods. The survey used mixed methods and consisted of closed and open-ended questions. Following all closed questions, an open-ended question was asked, allowing students to elaborate in their own words. Thirty-nine students responded to the survey in September, a response rate of 87%. The follow-up survey in mid-November had twenty-three respondents, a response rate of 51%. The gender ratio (women/men) was balanced. The study shows that students in the teacher education programme believe the use of ChatGPT requires significant responsibility and critical ...