INFLUENCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (CHAT-GPT) ON THE CRITICAL THINKING ABILITY OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA
Keywords:
artificial intelligence, critical thinking, influence, undergraduate studentsAbstract
This study looked at the influence of artificial intelligence (Chat-GPT) on the critical thinking ability of undergraduate students in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka with a keen interest on their level of reliance on AI, the affects it has on their analytical minds and the wider consequences for methods of teaching and authenticity. The philosophical underpinning upon which the study was anchored was that of Cognitive Offloading Theory. The study's research design was that of survey and the sample was made up of 384 students chosen via multi-stage sampling technique from eight departments in four faculties of the university. It was found out, among other things issues such as plagiarism, lack of critical thinking ability, copyright violation, academic malpractice, generation of erroneous data and the likes, are part of the potential threats imbedded in the application of ChatGPT artificial intelligence tool in education. The study recommended inter alia that academics incorporate assignments and tasks that explicitly limit the utilisation of artificial intelligence techniques to guarantee that undergraduates gain and depend on intellectual abilities.
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