ChatGPT as Academic Support Tool: Students’ Perceptions & Practices.

The use of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool, is becoming prevalent among students in higher education. ChatGPT’s chatbot function tends to be utilised as an academic support tool among students. This phenomenon is causing increasing concern among academics and students because it can have implications for academic integrity and the quality of higher education. This narrative literature review employs the PRISMA method to achieve its aims which are to explore students’ perceptions and academic practices of ChatGPT for academic purposes. The two main themes explored in the literature were: 1. Student’s perceptions of ChatGPT (positive and negative), and 2. Ethical considerations when utilising Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot technology for academic purposes. The overall findings suggest that students perceive ChatGPT positively and intend to use it in their academic work regardless of their disciplinary backgrounds. Despite its advantages, students raised concerns regarding the ethics of using ChatGPT for academic purposes. The findings from this review suggest that educational institutions should provide guidance and policies regarding the incorporation of AI chatbot technology, such as ChatGPT, into their pedagogy because it could offer opportunities to help students learn and empower them to take autonomy in their own learning. However, ChatGPT is not recommended as a substitute tutor.