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We all know how long and boring reading articles can be. We all also know that there is lots to read when you study at university. There is lecture preparation, there are articles that you need to read to understand the context more in-depth and many more. Furthermore, required reading material is usually part of the exam content and therefore it cannot be omitted if one hopes to receive a high grade. 

For me, reading articles is hard – I get distracted very easily, academic language can be hard to understand and they are sometimes VERY long which, let’s not hide it, is not too inviting. On top of that, in most cases, not the entirety of a 30 page article is important and filtering through so much information can take some time. That is why, since I can remember I was dreading and procrastinating reading articles.

One day, someone told me about ChatPDF. That’s when everything changed! ChatPDF combines advanced natural language processing and machine learning to help users understand PDF documents better (How Does ChatPDF Work? A Comprehensive Guide on Using ChatPDF — Otio Blog, n.d.). By extension, it can help with summarizing and understanding academic articles. By uploading the reading material as a PDF, ChatPDF can answer questions about the text, provide you with the most important insights drawn directly from it and prepare notes really quickly. 

ChatPDF has helped me to prepare for lectures, workshops and seminars. In a way, this tool really made my life easier and most importantly saved me a lot of time. However, as with every AI tool, there are some risks and disadvantages. Since I do not read the article fully by myself, I can only hope that ChatPDF will provide me with all the important information and not ignore some parts for unknown reasons. Lastly, it is quite costly and therefore the question arises: is it really worth it? It is for me, but what do you think?

How does ChatPDF work? A comprehensive guide on using ChatPDF — Otio blog. (n.d.). https://otio.ai/blog/how-does-chatpdf-work

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In recent years, technology has significantly changed various industries, including education. One of the most notable tools in this sector’s evolution is ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot that uses natural language processing to create humanlike conversational dialogue (Hetler, 2024).

Benefits of ChatGPT use in Education

ChatGPT offers various ways to make educational content more accessible and easier to understand. As we all know, the tool can provide ideas, assist with homework, clarify concepts and many more. On top of that, it can also help with learning and memorizing content by, for example, preparing practice questions, quizzes or flashcards. ChatGPT offers a novel, interactive and personalized way of learning, while also being available 24/7 (Casvi, 2024). As such, the tool has the potential to revolutionize the learning experience for students. However, the following question arises: is it just a breakthrough or could ChatGPT really transform schools and universities?

Challenges and Controversies of Using ChatGPT in Education

While ChatGPT may have multiple advantages, there are also major controversies associated with its use in education. Firstly, performance, especially the accuracy of the information provided, and secondly, ethical concerns, such as the risk of plagiarism. Additionally, the chat tends to produce information based on nonexistent sources, which fortunately for teachers, is easy to catch (Verrax & Scheid, 2024). Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly harder to detect if ChatGPT has been used or not (Barshay, 2023). There is also the risk of over-reliance on the tool, which can potentially hinder the development of problem-solving and critical-thinking skills (Hasanein & Sobaih, 2023).

Assessing the Impact

ChatGPT does in fact have the potential to revolutionize the education sector by offering students personalized and accessible learning experiences. However, I believe that before it becomes a disruptive innovation and truly transforms educational institutions, the major problems must be eliminated. Additionally, lucky for schools, one should not forget the fact that the acquisition of new knowledge is fostered by social interaction, whether with professors or other students – something that so far ChatGPT cannot offer. This focus on the social aspect of education may give the educational institutions hope that they will not be too disrupted in the short term (De Felice et al., 2022).

References:

Barshay, J., & Barshay, J. (2023, August 31). PROOF POINTS: It’s easy to fool ChatGPT detectors. The Hechinger Report. https://hechingerreport.org/proof-points-its-easy-to-fool-chatgpt-detectors/

Casvi. (2024, February 27). GPT Chat in Education: A new educational tool? – Casvi Tres Cantos. Casvi Tres Cantos. https://casvitrescantos.com/en/gpt-chat-in-education-a-new-educational-tool/

De Felice, S., De C Hamilton, A. F., Ponari, M., & Vigliocco, G. (2022). Learningfromothers is good,withothers is better: the role of social interaction in human acquisition of new knowledge. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 378(1870). https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0357

Hasanein, A. M., & Sobaih, A. E. E. (2023). Drivers and Consequences of CHATGPT use in Higher Education: Key Stakeholder Perspectives. European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education, 13(11), 2599–2614. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe13110181

Hetler, A. (2024, July 31). What is ChatGPT? WhatIs. https://www.techtarget.com/whatis/definition/ChatGPT

Nerdynav. (2024, January 5). ChatGPT Cheating Statistics & Impact On Education (2024). Nerdynav. https://nerdynav.com/chatgpt-cheating-statistics/

Verrax, F., & Scheid, F. (n.d.). ChatGPT in education: breakthrough or disruptive innovation? The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-in-education-breakthrough-or-disruptive-innovation-225379