The role of ChatGPT on academic research: perspectives from filipino students across diverse educational levels

Abstract

With the emergence of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is introducing a new wave of remarkable tools and transformations in education. One such technological development is ChatGPT, a dialogue system designed to collect and organize information, which is then converted into text-based inputs to address user inquiries. There is also a clear trend in which many Filipino students increasingly use ChatGPT for academic research. Filipino students' growing usage of ChatGPT demands immediate attention to examine its role in academic research within the Philippine educational setting. Thus, this study examines how ChatGPT is used in academic research by exploring students' perspectives and analyzing its perceived benefits and challenges. A descriptive cross-sectional design was conducted in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines, explicitly targeting selected secondary and tertiary schools. A total of 316 students were involved in the study, selected through convenience sampling. Results revealed ChatGPT to be moderately useful for various aspects of academic research and moderately influential in the student's academic performance. Receiving additional information or resources, getting help with mechanics, writing, paraphrasing, and generating ideas were found to be the benefits of using ChatGPT. Nonetheless, students commonly encountered issues such as redundant, inadequate, and inaccurate information provided by ChatGPT and concerns regarding its accessibility and the potential for plagiarism. To optimize advantages and address possible concerns, academic institutions should establish concise guidelines and regulations for responsible student utilization of ChatGPT