Exploring the Role of Generative AI Tools Among the Undergraduates of HEIs in Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) can revolutionize higher education by allowing students to pursue their academics easily and comfortably. When this becomes a celebration for students as they get access to information with a click, it also points out the massive impact it can create on academic ethics and responsibility. Most of the research reveals that the results or information generated by these tools, like ChatGPT, sometimes are more general or even false. Are students aware of issues in using tools that align with the integrity of their work? The role and responsibility of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is to nurture AI literacy in students so that they can use AI tools appropriately for maximum efficiency and capabilities. This study was conducted to primarily understand students' psychological attitudes and beliefs towards using generative AI tools. Secondly, it examined the ethical and moral values the students could consider when applying generative AI tools. A survey of undergraduate students from HEIs all over Oman was conducted using a Five Point Likert Scale, and the collected survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and thematic analysis for open ended questions. According to the respondents, GAI can bring scientific and technological progress in education but not much likely to change their behaviour and bring intellectual advancement. The study could also discover a high sense of moral and ethical values among the respondents while using GAI in education. This research study could form a base to embark on initiating generative AI governance in HEIs of Oman.

Citation

Suresh, S.P., Simon, S. and Nithyananda, S. (2024), "Exploring the Role of Generative AI Tools Among the Undergraduates of HEIs in Sultanate of Oman", Lytras, M.D., Alkhaldi, A., Malik, S., Serban, A.C. and Aldosemani, T. (Ed.) The Evolution of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education (Emerald Studies in Active and Transformative Learning in Higher Education), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 277-288. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-486-820241016