Academic integrity considerations of using ChatGPT in assessment activities among university student teachers

Purpose This study aims to investigate academic integrity considerations of Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) usage in assessment activities among the finalist student teachers at the University of Dar es Salaam. The study builds upon other previous studies on the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. However, it is unique in terms of its context and the focus on integrity. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was used to collect data from 383 finalist student teachers, and other 30 students were involved in focus group discussions (FGDs). Data for this study were analysed using IBM-SPSS Statistics Versions 25 to obtain descriptive statistics for the quantitative part and thematic analysis was used along with QDA Miner Lite for the qualitative part to generate themes. Findings Student teachers consider ChatGPT as a transformative AI technology to ease the accomplishment of their assessment tasks. However, a large percentage of them did not pay much attention to academic integrity while using the AI tool. About 199 (52%) out of 383 respondents said ChatGPT is a useful tool in generating answers for their assessment tasks compared to 192 (50.1%) of respondents who had negative opinions. Research limitations/implications Given the sensitivity of the topic on academic integrity some participants were hesitant to share information until when the researchers clarified the purpose of the study. Participants were told that the information they would provide was purely for academic purpose. Also, this study was conducted when students’ regular classes were in progress, such that it was challenging to set universal time to conduct FGDs where all intended participants could attend. The researcher was flexible enough to find hours which were conducive for participants to participate in FGDs. Practical implications For practitioners, given the fact that ChatGPT is a relatively new AI tool, training for raising awareness of its use should be conducted. Besides, specific academic integrity guidelines for its ethical use should be formulated and implemented. Likewise, instructors should set questions that prompt students original thinking which the AI tool cannot easily give contextualized solutions. Social implications The university where the AI tool is used is an open system that is within the society, and the impacts of AI technologies are inevitable in social domains. The society, therefore, should be informed about the emerging AI tools with their associated potentials and shortcomings to safeguard the norms and interests of the society. Originality/value The study provides a comprehensive overview of student teachers’ ChatGPT use and its implication on academic integrity. Given the novelty nature of ChatGPT use in education, course instructors and students may benefit from insights into responsible utilization of this AI technology without compromising integrity and quality of education.