ERIC Number: EJ1451809
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0363-4523
EISSN: EISSN-1479-5795
Does the Human Professor or Artificial Intelligence (AI) Offer Better Explanations to Students? Evidence from Three Within-Subject Experiments
Rebekah M. Chiasson; Alan K. Goodboy; Megan A. Vendemia; Nathaniel Beer; Gracyn C. Meisz; Laken Cooper; Alyssa Arnold; Austin Lincoski; William George; Cole Zuckerman; Jessica Schrout
Communication Education, v73 n4 p343-370 2024
Three within-subject experiments were conducted by providing students with answers to content questions across different subject matters (a definition, explanation, and example) offered by a human professor (subject-matter expert) versus generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT). In a randomized order, students read both the expert and ChatGPT's responses (both were de-identified and declared to be "professors," so students were not aware one was artificial intelligence), rated both explanations on teaching clarity and competence, and then reported on their affect toward the content and situational interest. Study 1 (interpersonal communication content) revealed no significant differences in repeated measure ratings comparing the expert versus ChatGPT. However, in Study 2 (business communication content) and Study 3 (instructional communication content), compared with the expert, ChatGPT (impersonating a professor) was rated by the same students as higher in teaching clarity and competence, and it generated more student affect and situational interest. In Study 2 and Study 3, a within-subjects mediation analysis revealed that ChatGPT generated more student affect toward the content through the clarity in responses it provided to students.
Descriptors: College Faculty, Expertise, Artificial Intelligence, Man Machine Systems, Interpersonal Communication, Business Communication, Computer Assisted Instruction, Instructional Effectiveness, Competence, Performance Based Assessment
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A