Study: ChatGPT Disrupts the Learning Process - Jordan News

Jordan News

2 days ago

Study: ChatGPT Disrupts the Learning Process University students are increasingly turning to generative AI tools—even when asked to write about their personal experiences. A recent study has found that students who use this technology to write texts tend to exhibit lower levels of critical thinking. اضافة اعلان When Jocelyn Litzinger asked her students to write a personal story about discrimination, she noticed something peculiar: many stories featured a character named 'Sally.' 'Clearly, that's a common name in ChatGPT,' said the Chicago-based professor with a hint of disappointment. Litzinger, who teaches business management and social sciences at the University of Illinois, remarked, 'My students weren't even writing about their own lives.' She noted that about half of her 180 students used ChatGPT inappropriately during the last semester—including in assignments about ethical issues related to AI. Speaking to AFP, she said she wasn't surprised by a recent study suggesting that students who use generative AI to write tend to show less critical thinking. The preliminary study, which has yet to undergo peer review, went viral on social media and resonated with many educators facing similar issues with their students. Since its publication last month, over 3,000 teachers have reached out to the research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which conducted the study, according to lead researcher Natalia Kosmina. The Experiment In the study, 54 students from the Boston area were divided into three groups and asked to write short essays over 20 minutes. One group used ChatGPT, the second used a search engine, and the third relied solely on their own knowledge. Researchers monitored the students' brain activity over several months and had two teachers assess the essays. The texts written with ChatGPT were significantly worse than those written without AI assistance. Brain scans showed reduced communication between different brain regions among the ChatGPT users. Notably, more than 80% of students who used AI couldn't recall a single sentence from their essays, compared to only 10% in the other two groups. During the third session, many of these students seemed to rely heavily on copying. 'Soulless' Writing The educators grading the papers reported that they could easily identify the 'soulless' texts generated with AI. Although grammatically correct, these writings lacked creativity, personal depth, and critical insight. Kosmina cautioned against simplistic interpretations in the media claiming that AI is making people 'dumber' or lazier. In fact, during a fourth session, the group that had only used their own knowledge was asked to use ChatGPT for the first time—and surprisingly, showed higher neural activity, suggesting the tool could still stimulate thinking if introduced later in the learning process. Still, Kosmina emphasized the need for more rigorous studies to better understand how to use AI tools in ways that enhance—not replace—learning. Expert Criticism Ashley Juavinett, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Diego (not involved in the study), criticized what she called 'overblown conclusions.' She told AFP, 'The paper doesn't offer conclusive evidence or the methodological rigor needed to determine how large language models like ChatGPT affect the brain.' Nevertheless, Litzinger said the findings reflect her own observations: since ChatGPT's release in 2022, spelling errors have dropped, but originality has declined. Much like calculators once forced teachers to rethink math instruction, AI now demands a reimagining of writing education. But Litzinger worries that students no longer need any foundational knowledge before using AI—thus skipping the most vital phase of learning. The issue extends far beyond classrooms. Scientific journals are struggling with the surge of AI-generated articles, and even publishing is affected: one startup reportedly plans to release 8,000 AI-written books per year. 'Writing is thinking, and thinking is writing,' said Litzinger. 'If we remove that process, what's left of the mind?'
Source: AFP