Exploring learners’ experiences and perceptions of ChatGPT as a learning tool in higher education

ChatGPT has emerged as a transformative technology with its remarkable ability to generate human-like responses, propelling its widespread adoption. While prior research has investigated the general landscape of AI-driven tools such as ChatGPT, the current study focuses specifically on exploring learners’ experiences and perceptions regarding the utilization of ChatGPT as a learning assistant tool.  Data was collected through professional social media platforms from learners and analyzed inductively using ATLAS.ti to identify recurring themes. The findings revealed several crucial themes including personalized interactive learning, language support, writing and research assistance, task and concept clarification. Additionally,  learners found it to be time-efficient and easy to access information. Concerns were raised regarding its limitations and risks such as the hindrance to critical thinking and independent research skills, difficulties in engaging with longer texts for deeper comprehension, and the possibility of writing style homogenization and loss of uniqueness among others. The results highlighted several essential strategies adopted by learners to optimize ChatGPT usage as a learning tool. In addition, most users demonstrated a preference for spending much time using ChatGPT compared to other digital information tools, signalling a paradigm shift toward increased utilization of generative AI in learning. The study underscores the significance of adopting a balanced approach, and advocates for further research on the impact of AI-driven tools like ChatGPT. The findings have important implications for learners, educators, and policymakers regarding the use of ChatGPT in education .