Students in difficulty: why ChatGPT becomes their best ally

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In the corridors of high schools and university lecture halls, a new study companion is making people talk from him: ChatGPT. This virtual assistant seems to have found an unexpected audience among struggling students. But is this alliance really beneficial or does it hide latent pitfalls ?

A Swedish study, published in Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, provides some material to answer this burning question. Researchers at Lund University delved into the educational world of teens to understand how those with learning disabilities use these artificial intelligence tools.

The unexpected savior of struggling students

For many students with fragile executive functions (EF), ChatGPT appears as a virtual tutor available at leisure. Johan Klarin, school psychologist and research assistant at the Department of Psychology at Lund University, clarifies this reality. ” Students who faced more executive function difficulties found these tools particularly useful, particularly for completing homework […] This highlights the potential role of these tools in supporting students who struggle with the cognitive processes essential to academic success .”

AI then becomes a kind of safety net, a cognitive crutch that allows them to overcome previously insurmountable obstacles.

The two investigations conducted by the researchers reveal an increasing use of these tools with age: from 15% among the youngest to 53% among high school students (on a sample of 385 young Swedes aged 12 to 16 and another of 359 aged 15 to 19). This increase is partly explained by the growing complexity of the work required, but also by an increased familiarity with these technologies over time.

AI: friend or foe of learning?

Despite its apparent advantages, this massive use of AI raises some concerns among specialists. Dr. Daiva Daukantaitė from the same university warns and points out that excessive reliance on these tools could hinder or delay the development of EF and student learning. “This should be carefully considered when implementing AI support in schools, and the effects should be studied longitudinally ” explains the researcher. This touches on the heart of the dilemma: is AI an aid to autonomy or a hindrance to cognitive development ?

The line between legitimate help and cheating is becoming increasingly blurred. Using ChatGPT to understand a complex concept is radically different from having it write an entire essay. This latter practice crosses the red line of academic integrity (as when it comes to plagiarism), highlighting the need to establish clear rules governing its use.

Towards an intelligent cohabitation between brains and algorithms

Faced with this new educational paradigm, researchers are calling for a pedagogical revolution. It is no longer a question of banning or ignoring these tools, but of learning to use them ethically and critically. ” Educators must provide guidelines and frameworks for appropriate use ,” insists Klarin.

This approach would require a profound overhaul of our teaching methods. Teacher training, peer tutoring programs, new forms of assessment: an entire educational ecosystem needs to be reinvented. The ultimate goal is to integrate AI as a teaching tool like any other, while developing the critical thinking of students in the face of this new form of remote intelligence.

This study, despite its obvious limitations (restricted sample, specific context of a country where every student has access to a computer) still calls for reflection. How to make AI an ally in the fight against academic failure, without sacrificing students' intellectual autonomy ?

Dr. Daukantaitė concludes on a note of hope tinged with caution: ” Our work lays the foundation to inform educators, policymakers, and technology developers about the role of generative AI in education and how to balance its benefits with the need to maintain academic integrity and promote authentic learning. It also highlights the need for supports for students, particularly those with executive functioning challenges. However, to gain a more complete understanding, further research is needed ».

Between fears and hopes, there is no doubt that tomorrow's education will play out in this delicate balance between human and artificial intelligence. It is up to us to find the right equation so that ChatGPT and AI models as a whole remain allies, without becoming virtual educational prostheses that would compromise the autonomy of learners.

• ChatGPT helps struggling students, but may stunt their cognitive development.
• Experts warn that overuse of AI could hinder learning, stressing the importance of clear usage guidelines to preserve academic integrity
• Comprehensive education reform is needed to ethically and critically integrate AI into education.

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