ChatGPT in the Classroom: Student Perceptions and Learning Experiences in Higher Education
Keywords:
Generative AI; Student Perceptions; Higher Education; AI-Assisted Learning Tools; Personalised LearningAbstract
ChatGPT has opened new opportunities for enhancing teaching and learning in higher education, including South African universities. This research examines how students perceive and experience ChatGPT in academic learning, as well as its implications for the ethical, pedagogical, and disciplinary integration in higher education. This study investigates students' perceptions through a mixed-methods approach, combining survey data with Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). A sequential explanatory approach was adopted to allow survey findings to inform the qualitative stage. The study population comprised undergraduate students from multiple programmes in two South African universities. Through convenience sampling, 248 participants completed the survey, while purposive sampling recruited 36 students for FGDs to obtain deeper insights. A Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)-based thematic analysis was integrated with descriptive statistics to support analytical rigour. Findings show that students generally view ChatGPT positively for increasing engagement, stimulating creativity, and supporting personalised learning, though perceived benefits vary across disciplines. Students highlighted its usefulness for understanding complex subjects and completing assignments, but raised concerns about academic integrity, overreliance on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and potential erosion of critical thinking. The results suggest that while ChatGPT can enrich learning, its integration requires deliberate pedagogical planning. In South African higher education, educators must establish guidelines for the ethical use of AI, embed AI literacy into curricula, and design assessments that promote authentic learning. The study emphasises balancing innovation with academic integrity and fostering dialogue between students and educators to responsibly harness the potential of ChatGPT.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.2.39
References
Abubakar, S. (2025). Impact of ChatGPT in the educational field: Possibilities and risks (Master’s thesis, Polytechnic University of Valencia). Polytechnic University of Valencia Institutional Repository. https://riunet.upv.es/server/api/core/bitstreams/bb3aeb77-d025-4e5e-930e-f7655d46356d/content
Acosta-Enriquez, B. G., Arbulú Pérez Vargas, C. G., Huamaní Jordan, O., Arbulú Ballesteros, M. A., & Paredes Morales, A. E. (2024). Exploring attitudes toward ChatGPT among college students: An empirical analysis of cognitive, affective, and behavioural components using path analysis. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7, 100320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100320
Agrawal, A., Gans, J., & Goldfarb, A. (2022). ChatGPT and how AI disrupts industries. Harvard Business Review, 12, 1–6. https://hbr.org/2022/12/chatgpt-and-how-ai-disrupts-industries
Al-Abdullatif, A. M. (2024). Modeling Teachers’ Acceptance of Generative Artificial Intelligence Use in Higher Education: The Role of AI Literacy, Intelligent TPACK, and Perceived Trust. Education Sciences, 14(11), 1209. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14111209
Alraja, M. N. (2016). The Effect of Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions on E-Government Acceptance from The Individual Employees’ Perspective. Polish Journal of Management Studies, 14(2), 18–27. https://doi.org/10.17512/pjms.2016.14.2.02
Atchley, P., Pannell, H., Wofford, K., Hopkins, M., & Atchley, R. A. (2024). Human and AI collaboration in the higher education environment: opportunities and concerns. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 9(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-024-00547-9
Ayodele, O. S., Aliu, J., Owoeye, F. O., Ajayi, E. A., & Sheidu, A. Y. (2023). The role of artificial intelligence in curriculum development and management. Journal of Digital Innovations & Contemporary Research in Science, Engineering & Technology, 11(1), 37–46. https://doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/DIGITAL/V11N2P4.
Baidoo-Anu, D., Asamoah, D., Amoako, I., & Mahama, I. (2024). Exploring student perspectives on generative artificial intelligence in higher education learning. Discover Education, 3(1), 98. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00173-z
Bin-Nashwan, S. A., Sadallah, M., & Bouteraa, M. (2023). Use of ChatGPT in academia: Academic integrity hangs in the balance. Technology in Society, 75, 102370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2023.102370
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Bui, T. T. U., & Tong, T. V. A. (2025). The Impact of AI Writing Tools on Academic Integrity: Unveiling English-Majored Students’ Perceptions and Practical Solutions. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 16(1), 83- 110. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54855/acoj.251615
Chaka, C. (2023). Generative AI Chatbots - ChatGPT versus YouChat versus Chatsonic: Use Cases of Selected Areas of Applied English Language Studies. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(6), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.6.1
Chukwuere, J. E. (2017). From Decolonisation to Digitalisation of Education In South Africa. PONTE International Scientific Research Journal, 73(12). https://doi.org/10.21506/j.ponte.2017.12.15
Cotton, D. R. E., Cotton, P. A., & Shipway, J. R. (2024). Chatting and cheating: Ensuring academic integrity in the era of ChatGPT. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 61(2), 228–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2023.2190148
Cross, S., & Feldman, J. (2025). Artificial intelligence in education: Considerations for South African schooling. Journal of Education, 98, 27–41. https://doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/i98a02
Dedema, M., & Ma, R. (2024). The collective use and evaluation of generative AI tools in digital humanities research: Survey-based results [Preprint]. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379992063
Divakar, P. P., Emmanuel, K. A., & Jalababu, R. (2024). Impact of “AI” on Education in India. International Journal of Enhanced Research in Science, 13(11), 2319–7463. http://paper.researchbib.com/view/paper/14102.
Dwivedi, Y. K., Kshetri, N., Hughes, L., Slade, E. L., Jeyaraj, A., Kar, A. K., Baabdullah, A. M., Koohang, A., Raghavan, V., Ahuja, M., Albanna, H., Albashrawi, M. A., Al-Busaidi, A. S., Balakrishnan, J., Barlette, Y., Basu, S., Bose, I., Brooks, L., Buhalis, D., … Wright, R. (2023). “So what if ChatGPT wrote it?” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2023.102642
Eke, D. O. (2023). ChatGPT and the rise of generative AI: Threat to academic integrity? Journal of Responsible Technology, 13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrt.2023.100060
Figueiredo, J., & García-Peñalvo, F. J. (2024). ChatGPT in the Teaching and Learning Initial Programming: A Case Study. In J. A. d. C. Gonçalves, J. L. S. d. M. Lima, J. P. Coelho, F. J. García-Peñalvo, & A. García-Holgado (Eds.), Proceedings of TEEM 2023 (pp. 156–162). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1814-6_15
Frankford, E., Sauerwein, C., Bassner, P., Krusche, S., & Breu, R. (2024). AI-Tutoring in Software Engineering Education. Proceedings of the 46th International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering Education and Training, 309–319. https://doi.org/10.1145/3639474.3640061
Funda, V., & Mbangeleli, N. (2024). Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a Tool to Address Academic Challenges in South African Higher Education. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 23(11), 520–537. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.23.11.27
Geerling, W., Mateer, G. D., Wooten, J., & Damodaran, N. (2023). ChatGPT has Mastered the Principles of Economics: Now What? SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4356034
Gill, S. S., Xu, M., Patros, P., Wu, H., Kaur, R., Kaur, K., Fuller, S., Singh, M., Arora, P., Parlikad, A. K., Stankovski, V., Abraham, A., Ghosh, S. K., Lutfiyya, H., Kanhere, S. S., Bahsoon, R., Rana, O., Dustdar, S., Sakellariou, R., … Buyya, R. (2024). Transformative effects of ChatGPT on modern education: Emerging Era of AI Chatbots. Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems, 4, 19–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iotcps.2023.06.002
Gocen, A., & Aydemir, F. (2020). Artificial Intelligence in Education and Schools. Research on Education and Media, 12(1), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.2478/rem-2020-0003
Gomez-Jaramillo, S., Cardona-Zapata, O., Valbuena-Henao, M., & Poliche, V. (2025). Guided Learning with AI: A Didactic Strategy Using Sequential Tutoring via ChatGPT for Object-Oriented Programming. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(7), 717–736. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.7.35
Grani?, A. (2023). Technology Acceptance and Adoption in Education. In Handbook of Open, Distance and Digital Education (pp. 183–197). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2080-6_11
Groothuijsen, S., van den Beemt, A., Remmers, J. C., & van Meeuwen, L. W. (2024). AI chatbots in programming education: Students’ use in a scientific computing course and consequences for learning. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7, 100290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100290
Gruenhagen, J. H., Sinclair, P. M., Carroll, J.-A., Baker, P. R. A., Wilson, A., & Demant, D. (2024). The rapid rise of generative AI and its implications for academic integrity: Students’ perceptions and use of chatbots for assistance with assessments. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7, 100273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100273
Hamilton, J., & Mulaudzi, L. (2025). Student perspectives on optimising AI tools to enhance personalised learning in higher education. Journal of Education, 98, 147–166. https://doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/i98a08
Hmoud, M., Swaity, H., Hamad, N., Karram, O., & Daher, W. (2024). Higher Education Students’ Task Motivation in the Generative Artificial Intelligence Context: The Case of ChatGPT. Information, 15(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/info15010033
Holmes, W., Bialik, M., & Fadel, C. (2019). Artificial Intelligence In Education Promises and Implications for Teaching and Learning. In Artificial Intelligence in Education (pp. 1–18). http://bit.ly/AIED-BOOK
Howlader, M. H., Tohan, M. M., Zaman, S., Chanda, S. K., Jiaxin, G., & Rahman, Md. A. (2025). Factors influencing the acceptance and usage of ChatGPT as an emerging learning tool among higher education students in Bangladesh: a structural equation modeling. Cogent Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2504224
Jang, J., Ko, Y., Shin, W. S., & Han, I. (2021). Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality for Learning: An Examination Using an Extended Technology Acceptance Model. IEEE Access, 9, 6798–6809. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3048708
Jin, Y., Yan, L., Echeverria, V., Gaševi?, D., & Martinez-Maldonado, R. (2025). Generative AI in higher education: A global perspective of institutional adoption policies and guidelines. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 8, 100348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100348
Kasneci, E., Sessler, K., Küchemann, S., Bannert, M., Dementieva, D., Fischer, F., Gasser, U., Groh, G., Günnemann, S., Hüllermeier, E., Krusche, S., Kutyniok, G., Michaeli, T., Nerdel, C., Pfeffer, J., Poquet, O., Sailer, M., Schmidt, A., Seidel, T., … Kasneci, G. (2023). ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education. Learning and Individual Differences, 103, 102274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2023.102274
Kohnke, S., & Zaugg, T. (2025). Artificial Intelligence: An Untapped Opportunity for Equity and Access in STEM Education. Education Sciences, 15(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15010068
Li, Y., Castulo, N. J., & Xu, X. (2025). Embracing or rejecting AI? A mixed-method study on undergraduate students’ perceptions of artificial intelligence at a private university in China. Frontiers in Education, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1505856
Looker, P. (2018). Bangeni, B & Kapp, R. (eds.). 2017. Negotiating Learning and Identity in Higher education: Access, Persistence and Retention. London & New York: Bloomsbury. In Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the South (Vol. 2, pp. 92–94). https://doi.org/10.36615/sotls.v2i2.81
Lund, B. D., Lee, T. H., Mannuru, N. R., & Arutla, N. (2025). AI and Academic Integrity: Exploring Student Perceptions and Implications for Higher Education. Journal of Academic Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-025-09613-3
Mahama, I., Baidoo-Anu, D., Eshun, P., Ayimbire, B., & Eggley, V. E. (2023). ChatGPT in Academic Writing: A Threat to Human Creativity and Academic Integrity? An Exploratory Study. Indonesian Journal of Innovation and Applied Sciences (IJIAS), 3(3), 228–239. https://doi.org/10.47540/ijias.v3i3.1005
Maimela, C., & Mbonde, P. (2025). Artificial intelligence in South African universities: curriculum transformation and decolonisation—aid or obstacle? Frontiers in Sociology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2025.1543471
Matsebula, F., Ernest, M., Masumbuka, T. (2025). A Learning Analytics Framework for Higher Education in South Africa. In: Wang, WS., Sandnes, F.E., Lai, CF., Sandtrø, T.A., Huang, YM. (eds) Innovative Technologies and Learning. ICITL 2025. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 15913. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-98185-2_27
Mhlanga, D. (2023). Open AI in Education, the Responsible and Ethical Use of ChatGPT Towards Lifelong Learning. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4354422
Mogoale, P., Pretorius, A., Mogase, R., & Segooa, M. (2025). Integrating artificial intelligence within South African higher learning institutions. South African Journal of Information Management. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v27i1.1939
Muawanah, U., Marini, A., & Sarifah, I. (2024). The interconnection between digital literacy, artificial intelligence, and the use of E-learning applications in enhancing the sustainability of Regional Languages: Evidence from Indonesia. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 10, 101169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.101169
Ngcobo, S., Roya, W. & Mtetwa, S. (2025). ChatGPT acceptance in South African universities: Analyses of two contradictory e-newspaper articles. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice. 31. 10.53555/kuey.v31i1.9120.
Ojubanire, O. A., Olaleye, S. A., Marhraoui, M. A., Kamihanda, M. W., Oke, O. I., & Ojubanire, O. A. (2025). Awareness, perception, and adoption of ChatGPT in African HEIs: A multi-dimensional analysis. The Internet and Higher Education, 65, 100999. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2025.100999
Patel, S., & Ragolane, M. (2024). The Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in South African Higher Education Institutions: Opportunities and Challenges. Technium Education and Humanities, 9, 51–65. https://doi.org/10.47577/teh.v9i.11452
Pokrivcakova, S. (2019). Preparing teachers for the application of AI-powered technologies in foreign language education. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 7(3), 135–153. https://doi.org/10.2478/jolace-2019-0025
Prajapati, J. B., Kumar, A., Singh, S., Prajapati, B., Thakar, Y., Tambe, P. R., & Ved, A. (2024). Artificial intelligence-assisted generative pretrained transformers for applications of ChatGPT in higher education among graduates. SN Social Sciences, 4(2), 19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-023-00818-0
Qadir, J. (2022). Engineering Education in the Era of ChatGPT: Promise and Pitfalls of Generative AI for Education. TechRxiv. https://doi.org/10.36227/techrxiv.21789434.v1
Rahayu, A., Tarihoran, N., Rahmawati, E., Muslihah, E., Ma’mur, I., & Anita, A. (2025). Navigating the Digital Writing Landscape: EFL Students’ Perspectives on ChatGPT Utilization. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 24(5), 727–752. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.5.37
Ray, P. P. (2023). ChatGPT: A comprehensive review on background, applications, key challenges, bias, ethics, limitations and future scope. Internet of Things and Cyber-Physical Systems, 3, 121–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iotcps.2023.04.003
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
Sarsa, S., Denny, P., Hellas, A., & Leinonen, J. (2022). Automatic Generation of Programming Exercises and Code Explanations Using Large Language Models. Proceedings of the 2022 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 1, 27–43. https://doi.org/10.1145/3501385.3543957
Shakarian, P., Koyyalamudi, A., Ngu, N., & Mareedu, L. (2023, February 28). An Independent Evaluation of ChatGPT on Mathematical Word Problems (MWP). Proceedings of the AAAI 2023 Spring Symposium on Challenges Requiring the Combination of Machine Learning and Knowledge Engineering (AAAI-MAKE 2023). http://arxiv.org/abs/2302.13814
Shoufan, A. (2023). Exploring Students’ Perceptions of ChatGPT: Thematic Analysis and Follow-Up Survey. IEEE Access, 11, 38805–38818. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3268224
Singh, S., & Strzelecki, A. (2025). Academics as adopters of generative AI: an application of diffusion of innovations theory. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13835-8
Sullivan, M., Kelly, A., & McLaughlan, P. (2023). ChatGPT in higher education: Considerations for academic integrity and student learning. Journal of Applied Learning & Teaching, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2023.6.1.17
Twetwa-Dube, S., Mavuso, N. C., & Oki, O. (2025). Navigating digital inequality in African higher education: Challenges and charting a path forward. In Digital inequality in a developing context: A multifaceted approach. AOSIS. https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2025.bk494
Valcea, S., Hamdani, M. R., & Wang, S. (2024). Exploring the Impact of ChatGPT on Business School Education: Prospects, Boundaries, and Paradoxes. Journal of Management Education, 48(5), 915–947. https://doi.org/10.1177/10525629241261313
van Biljon, J., Ferwerda, B., Jere, N. R., Mavuso, N., Ssemugabi, S., & Schaap, G. (2025). Digital Research Collaboration Platform Design: Preferences from Novice Researchers in the Global North Compared to Novice Researchers in the Global South. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 15785 LNCS, 277–291. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-93736-1_18
Vargas-Murillo, A. R., Pari-Bedoya, I. N. M. de la A., & Guevara-Soto, F. de J. (2023). Challenges and Opportunities of AI-Assisted Learning: A Systematic Literature Review on the Impact of ChatGPT Usage in Higher Education. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(7), 122–135. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.7.7
Velli, K., & Zafiropoulos, K. (2024). Factors That Affect the Acceptance of Educational AI Tools by Greek Teachers—A Structural Equation Modelling Study. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 14(9), 2560–2579. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe14090169
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward A Unified View. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
Yu, Z. (2025). Humanities in the age of AI. TAO, 1(1), 100003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tao.2025.100003
Zamir, S., Afzal, S., & Sultana, N. (2023). ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence in higher education institutions: Benefits, challenges and ethical concerns. Biannual Uswa Journal of Research, 3(2). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378526255
Zawacki-Richter, O., Marín, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in higher education – where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0
Zhong, J., Shu, H., & Han, X. (2024). Opportunities and Challenges of Education Based on AI – The Case of ChatGPT. In Multimedia Technology and Enhanced Learning (pp. 32–41). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50580-5_3
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nosipho Mavuso, Fezile Matsebula
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
All articles published by IJLTER are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 4.0 International License (CCBY-NC-ND4.0).
