Date
Publisher
arXiv
This study investigates students' perceptions of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a focus on Higher Education institutions in Northern Ireland and India. We collect quantitative Likert ratings and qualitative comments from 1,211 students on their awareness and perceptions of AI and investigate variations in attitudes toward AI across institutions and subject areas, as well as interactions between these variables with demographic variables (focusing on gender). We find that: (a) while perceptions varied across institutions, responses for Computer Sciences students were similar; and (b) after controlling for institution and subject area, we observed no effect of gender. These results are consistent with previous studies, which find that students' perceptions are predicted by prior experience. We consider the implications of this relation and some considerations for the role of experience.
Study at a glance
- Question: How do higher education students perceive generative AI across different institutions, subject areas, and genders?
- Setting and data: Higher education institutions in Northern Ireland and India, 1,211 students.
- Method: Survey collecting quantitative Likert ratings and qualitative comments.
Why it matters
Understanding student awareness and perceptions of generative AI requires investigating how attitudes vary across institutions and subject areas, as well as how they interact with demographic factors like gender.
Key findings
- Across 1,211 higher education students in Northern Ireland and India, AI perceptions varied by institution, though computer science students held similar attitudes.
- Students' gender was not associated with their attitudes toward AI after accounting for their institution and subject area.
- Students' perceptions of generative AI aligned with previous research showing that attitudes are predicted by prior experience.
Summary drafted with AI from the paper’s abstract and may contain errors. See the full paper for details.
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