Tools facilitate cheating, or partner supports learning? GenAI and academic integrity issues from students’ perspectives

Abstract

The rapid expansion of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has increased concerns about academic integrity in higher education, reshaping the way it was previously conceptualized. As GenAI becomes more prevalent, an in-depth understanding of students’ perspectives appears to be crucial to navigate the ethical use of the innovation. The objective of this study is, therefore, to explore students’ perspectives of academic integrity issues regarding the use of GenAI, focusing on plagiarism, originality, and the fairness of academic assessment results. This study utilized a qualitative research approach, based on a reflexive thematic method. The participants of this study are undergraduate students from Ambo University. The result of the study is unexpectedly paradoxical. GenAI tools have emerged as an essential revolution to improve student academic engagement. They offer students several perceived benefits, such as overcoming language barriers, access to up-to-date resources, and improved academic support. However, a serious concern arises as a substantial number of students are positive about using GenAI and relying on it for coursework as a minor violation. It is also noted that GenAI creates uneven playing fields between students who genuinely work on their own efforts and those who submit work generated by GenAI. Finally, it can be concluded that the students’ view of GenAI can shape their ethical use of these tools, which requires prioritizing awareness raising, developing policy frameworks, and monitoring policy reinforcement. The study may contribute to the quality of education by addressing issues related to academic integrity in the post-digital world.