SNU SOCIETY
ChatGPT – The future of learning or a cheater’s tool?
A machine that writes your essay for you as you sit back and relax. A tool that solves all your math problems in the time it takes to open your textbook. For students from any era struggling with coursework, this may have been the idea of an utopia: a world of all play and no work, but still – hopefully – an A. Well, in 2022, the dreams of this utopia may have come true – due to one incredible invention made possible by artificial intelligence technology: ChatGPT. Trained on a vast amount of data, and therefore so versatile, it seems there is not a single thing ChatGPT cannot do. Members of SNU have been using ChatGPT for a variety of purposes, from learning new things and translating foreign textbooks to getting research assistance for professional presentations and essays. However, not everyone praises its versatility. On the other side of the ChatGPT craze, there are people who see the chatbot as a threat: an evil machine that only serves to demoralize hard-working students and ruin academic integrity. After a year of coexistence with ChatGPT, it seems the time has come to take a look at ChatGPT’s effect on our lives at SNU.
The Status Quo
A survey conducted on July 2023 by the SNU Faculty of Liberal Education which asked 582 students and 163 professors about the use of ChatGPT at SNU indicated that about one-sixth (16.7 percent) of students have experience using it for various purposes, including writing codes and essays, and summarizing and translating documents. Furthermore, 56.5 percent of the students reported that they have not used ChatGPT but are willing to use the service in the second semester of 2023.
The situation was similar for professors at SNU. Among professors, 17.8 percent responded that they have used ChatGPT for academic purposes, and 56.4 percent were considering using it in the fall semester. The survey shows that many members of SNU, regardless of their profession, are interested in using ChatGPT for academic purposes.
A survey conducted independently by The SNU Quill in November 2023 showed that the number of people actively using ChatGPT has remained significant, with 73 percent of survey participants saying that they have used it on assignments–directly or indirectly. The impact also extended to classrooms, with about half of the respondents having experienced a change in grading and/or teaching methods due to AI.
Is it really that good?
When ChatGPT was first widely introduced in February 2023, students’ reactions were mixed on the true potential of the technology. On the popular college social media Everytime, students generally found it useful for translation, proofreading, and writing code. One student even claimed to have gotten an A+ using a report written by ChatGPT, though the validity of this claim remains uncertain.
Others have found flaws inside the AI system. One issue is that ChatGPT often generates realistic information that is completely made-up, commonly referred to as hallucinations. These hallucinations can range from outlandish claims – such as one viral post of ChatGPT claiming that an upset King Sejong threw a Macbook at one of his servants while creating Hangul – to subtle inaccuracies that are believable and thus hard to spot. These hallucinations, especially the latter type, make fact-checking a vital process while using ChatGPT.
“It is hard to utilize ChatGPT in more specialized fields of study as it often produces false information mixed in with correct responses, which is hard to differentiate,” commented one respondent in The SNU Quill’s survey. Similarly, another issue that was raised about ChatGPT is that it is prone to subtle errors, especially regarding math and science problems, compared to other programs, like the popular math problem-solving software WolframAlpha.
Still, ChatGPT is excellent for getting a more customized version of whatever information you need – something a Google search won’t easily get you. One common use is in summarizing long articles, getting directly to the point, and saving time for the busy reader. Another forte of the AI, for the coding enthusiast, seems to be its ability to generate customized code snippets – lines of code that solve your specific programming problems when you are stuck.
“ChatGPT is really good at writing and debugging code,” said a student from the Department of Pharmacy. He had been working on a browser-based Tetris game which was made possible via assistance from ChatGPT.
“The good thing about GPT-4 is that it gives you options on which code you can use for your projects. It makes creating simple web apps like these easier.”
In spite of this, he agreed that there were weaknesses in ChatGPT, specifically with chemistry and math problems, where the model tended to make calculation errors.
All this said, ChatGPT seems to have had more of a beneficial effect on those at SNU. In The SNU Quill’s survey, 45 percent of the respondents agreed that ChatGPT had “made college life easier,” compared to the 13 percent who disagreed and the other 41 percent who were unsure.
Cheating Allegations
“With great power comes great responsibility,” Spider-Man once said. This can be no truer for ChatGPT, which in some aspects is a more powerful cheating tool than anything that has ever existed before. We must now define the subtle line between getting help from ChatGPT and cheating. But where exactly do we draw this line?
– Professors’ View
The SNU Quill’s survey shows that as of Fall 2023, many professors permit the use of ChatGPT with some degree of freedom, as long as the work itself is not entirely executed by AI. 70 percent of students responded that they have been in a class with such restrictions, especially in subjects that are vulnerable to the influence of AI. More and more professors are mentioning the usage of ChatGPT in assignments. Professor Won Jung-dam, in his class of Discrete Mathematics of the Computer Science department, noted in the syllabus that he forbids “asking ChatGPT (or other LLMs) for answers to homework,” whereas “asking the definitions, concepts, or extra examples relevant to the course is fine.”
More notably, it was possible to find many introductory English classes, such as College English I and II where using ChatGPT was mentioned as plagiarism, possibly due to the AI’s better performance in English.
“Whilst using AI programs such as ChatGPT to write assignments is clearly unethical […] there are a number of applications of AI which can potentially enhance students’ learning experience on writing courses,” stated Professor Nicholas Shaw in an announcement for his Advanced English course in the winter semester of 2023.
The survey also showed that many professors do not explicitly mention the use of ChatGPT in the classroom. This indicates that the effects of ChatGPT may perhaps be less pronounced in some classes. In the first semester of 2023, it seems that students may have been relying less on technology than previously thought.
“Students did not generally seem to be aware of the effects of ChatGPT in the classroom,” said Professor Cha Ik-Jong in an interview featured on SNU News. He later added that students seemed to be using it more actively in College Writing 1 classes a few months into the semester.
– Students’ View
Despite the restrictions on AI use imposed by some professors, it seems that not many students think cheating using ChatGPT is a big issue. While many leverage ChatGPT for academic assistance, The SNU Quill’s survey showed only 14 percent of students felt that others using ChatGPT in the current state is unfair. An interesting result was that everyone having equal access to AI was an important factor in them thinking so. When asked if the students themselves weren’t allowed to use AI while others were, 60 percent of students found this situation unfair. Then, granted that everyone has access to ChatGPT both inside and outside the classroom, students increasingly feel that using it for help in assignments is not cheating – it may be the new norm.
Another thing to note is that the effectiveness of ChatGPT may depend on the nature of the subject taught. It seems ChatGPT is generally less efficient at advanced topics that require original ideas. “In literature majors, I don’t think using ChatGPT is a big issue, as essays require a personal understanding of the topic which cannot be achieved by AI alone,” remarked one respondent. Meanwhile, ChatGPT seems to pose more concerns for introductory-level courses and those involving topics where AI excels.
On the Bright Side
That being said, ChatGPT possesses an equally large potential for positive academic integration – something that is being recognized by many members of SNU. Even instructors have noticed this potential, as the SNU Faculty of Liberal Education hosted a lecture on the potential uses of ChatGPT for students. A lecture with the title: “A New Experience Learned by Chatting, College Life with ChatGPT” was held, which focused on the possible uses of ChatGPT in education, such as for brainstorming new ideas. The presenter, Professor Cha Ik-Jong, discussed his belief that ChatGPT should “not be used as a tool for writing in haste, but for easily structuring and summarizing a text.”
Concluding Thoughts
In summary, while the concept of integrating ChatGPT in the classroom sounds good to many, its implementation requires careful deliberation.
For some members of SNU, ChatGPT is a fascinating tool – a personal assistant that travels with you anywhere and everywhere, that makes life so much easier. For others, it may be that ChatGPT is a threat because it makes those things so much easier – it is now hard to know if anyone puts in their genuine work anymore. Whatever your opinion may be, we must not forget that the controversy around ChatGPT is because of its potential as a powerful academic tool. And this potential could be harnessed by everyone teaching and studying at SNU. ChatGPT could be more than just a nuisance for professors handing out assignments, and a utility for students who seek cheap answers from it. Classes are still being affected by the issue of the ChatGPT cheaters, but it is positive that many students see the impact of ChatGPT as something more than that. Besides, if someone lets ChatGPT do all the work for them and learns nothing – wouldn’t it ultimately be their loss? There is no turning back from ChatGPT. So it would be in our best hopes and interests that ChatGPT will be remembered as a tool that benefits all members of SNU alike.
The Status Quo
A survey conducted on July 2023 by the SNU Faculty of Liberal Education which asked 582 students and 163 professors about the use of ChatGPT at SNU indicated that about one-sixth (16.7 percent) of students have experience using it for various purposes, including writing codes and essays, and summarizing and translating documents. Furthermore, 56.5 percent of the students reported that they have not used ChatGPT but are willing to use the service in the second semester of 2023.
The situation was similar for professors at SNU. Among professors, 17.8 percent responded that they have used ChatGPT for academic purposes, and 56.4 percent were considering using it in the fall semester. The survey shows that many members of SNU, regardless of their profession, are interested in using ChatGPT for academic purposes.
A survey conducted independently by The SNU Quill in November 2023 showed that the number of people actively using ChatGPT has remained significant, with 73 percent of survey participants saying that they have used it on assignments–directly or indirectly. The impact also extended to classrooms, with about half of the respondents having experienced a change in grading and/or teaching methods due to AI.
Is it really that good?
When ChatGPT was first widely introduced in February 2023, students’ reactions were mixed on the true potential of the technology. On the popular college social media Everytime, students generally found it useful for translation, proofreading, and writing code. One student even claimed to have gotten an A+ using a report written by ChatGPT, though the validity of this claim remains uncertain.
Others have found flaws inside the AI system. One issue is that ChatGPT often generates realistic information that is completely made-up, commonly referred to as hallucinations. These hallucinations can range from outlandish claims – such as one viral post of ChatGPT claiming that an upset King Sejong threw a Macbook at one of his servants while creating Hangul – to subtle inaccuracies that are believable and thus hard to spot. These hallucinations, especially the latter type, make fact-checking a vital process while using ChatGPT.
“It is hard to utilize ChatGPT in more specialized fields of study as it often produces false information mixed in with correct responses, which is hard to differentiate,” commented one respondent in The SNU Quill’s survey. Similarly, another issue that was raised about ChatGPT is that it is prone to subtle errors, especially regarding math and science problems, compared to other programs, like the popular math problem-solving software WolframAlpha.
Still, ChatGPT is excellent for getting a more customized version of whatever information you need – something a Google search won’t easily get you. One common use is in summarizing long articles, getting directly to the point, and saving time for the busy reader. Another forte of the AI, for the coding enthusiast, seems to be its ability to generate customized code snippets – lines of code that solve your specific programming problems when you are stuck.
“ChatGPT is really good at writing and debugging code,” said a student from the Department of Pharmacy. He had been working on a browser-based Tetris game which was made possible via assistance from ChatGPT.
“The good thing about GPT-4 is that it gives you options on which code you can use for your projects. It makes creating simple web apps like these easier.”
In spite of this, he agreed that there were weaknesses in ChatGPT, specifically with chemistry and math problems, where the model tended to make calculation errors.
All this said, ChatGPT seems to have had more of a beneficial effect on those at SNU. In The SNU Quill’s survey, 45 percent of the respondents agreed that ChatGPT had “made college life easier,” compared to the 13 percent who disagreed and the other 41 percent who were unsure.
Cheating Allegations
“With great power comes great responsibility,” Spider-Man once said. This can be no truer for ChatGPT, which in some aspects is a more powerful cheating tool than anything that has ever existed before. We must now define the subtle line between getting help from ChatGPT and cheating. But where exactly do we draw this line?
– Professors’ View
The SNU Quill’s survey shows that as of Fall 2023, many professors permit the use of ChatGPT with some degree of freedom, as long as the work itself is not entirely executed by AI. 70 percent of students responded that they have been in a class with such restrictions, especially in subjects that are vulnerable to the influence of AI. More and more professors are mentioning the usage of ChatGPT in assignments. Professor Won Jung-dam, in his class of Discrete Mathematics of the Computer Science department, noted in the syllabus that he forbids “asking ChatGPT (or other LLMs) for answers to homework,” whereas “asking the definitions, concepts, or extra examples relevant to the course is fine.”
More notably, it was possible to find many introductory English classes, such as College English I and II where using ChatGPT was mentioned as plagiarism, possibly due to the AI’s better performance in English.
“Whilst using AI programs such as ChatGPT to write assignments is clearly unethical […] there are a number of applications of AI which can potentially enhance students’ learning experience on writing courses,” stated Professor Nicholas Shaw in an announcement for his Advanced English course in the winter semester of 2023.
The survey also showed that many professors do not explicitly mention the use of ChatGPT in the classroom. This indicates that the effects of ChatGPT may perhaps be less pronounced in some classes. In the first semester of 2023, it seems that students may have been relying less on technology than previously thought.
“Students did not generally seem to be aware of the effects of ChatGPT in the classroom,” said Professor Cha Ik-Jong in an interview featured on SNU News. He later added that students seemed to be using it more actively in College Writing 1 classes a few months into the semester.
– Students’ View
Despite the restrictions on AI use imposed by some professors, it seems that not many students think cheating using ChatGPT is a big issue. While many leverage ChatGPT for academic assistance, The SNU Quill’s survey showed only 14 percent of students felt that others using ChatGPT in the current state is unfair. An interesting result was that everyone having equal access to AI was an important factor in them thinking so. When asked if the students themselves weren’t allowed to use AI while others were, 60 percent of students found this situation unfair. Then, granted that everyone has access to ChatGPT both inside and outside the classroom, students increasingly feel that using it for help in assignments is not cheating – it may be the new norm.
Another thing to note is that the effectiveness of ChatGPT may depend on the nature of the subject taught. It seems ChatGPT is generally less efficient at advanced topics that require original ideas. “In literature majors, I don’t think using ChatGPT is a big issue, as essays require a personal understanding of the topic which cannot be achieved by AI alone,” remarked one respondent. Meanwhile, ChatGPT seems to pose more concerns for introductory-level courses and those involving topics where AI excels.
On the Bright Side
That being said, ChatGPT possesses an equally large potential for positive academic integration – something that is being recognized by many members of SNU. Even instructors have noticed this potential, as the SNU Faculty of Liberal Education hosted a lecture on the potential uses of ChatGPT for students. A lecture with the title: “A New Experience Learned by Chatting, College Life with ChatGPT” was held, which focused on the possible uses of ChatGPT in education, such as for brainstorming new ideas. The presenter, Professor Cha Ik-Jong, discussed his belief that ChatGPT should “not be used as a tool for writing in haste, but for easily structuring and summarizing a text.”
Concluding Thoughts
In summary, while the concept of integrating ChatGPT in the classroom sounds good to many, its implementation requires careful deliberation.
For some members of SNU, ChatGPT is a fascinating tool – a personal assistant that travels with you anywhere and everywhere, that makes life so much easier. For others, it may be that ChatGPT is a threat because it makes those things so much easier – it is now hard to know if anyone puts in their genuine work anymore. Whatever your opinion may be, we must not forget that the controversy around ChatGPT is because of its potential as a powerful academic tool. And this potential could be harnessed by everyone teaching and studying at SNU. ChatGPT could be more than just a nuisance for professors handing out assignments, and a utility for students who seek cheap answers from it. Classes are still being affected by the issue of the ChatGPT cheaters, but it is positive that many students see the impact of ChatGPT as something more than that. Besides, if someone lets ChatGPT do all the work for them and learns nothing – wouldn’t it ultimately be their loss? There is no turning back from ChatGPT. So it would be in our best hopes and interests that ChatGPT will be remembered as a tool that benefits all members of SNU alike.
