Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Generative AI Generating Buzz: Volume, Engagement, and Content of Initial Reactions to ChatGPT in Discussions Across Education-Related Subreddits. |
| Authors: |
Willet, K. Bret Staudt1, Hunhui Na1 |
| Source: |
Online Learning. Jun2024, Vol. 28 Issue 2, p96-123. 28p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*Generative artificial intelligence, *Educational innovations, *Internet forums, Natural language processing, ChatGPT |
| Abstract: |
Despite widespread discussions, insights into GenAI's impact on education have been limited because early studies have often been narrow in scope and focused on specific contexts. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore and analyze the volume, engagement, and content of initial reactions to one leading GenAI tool, ChatGPT. Specifically, we collected and analyzed public online discussions of ChatGPT in the first four months following the tool's release. We collected 345 posts and 6,463 comments about ChatGPT from 25 education-focused subreddits. We analyzed the volume, engagement, and content of ChatGPT discussions through descriptive statistics and natural language processing techniques. Findings show relatively low volume of ChatGPT discussions, unevenly spread across education-related subreddits--with the majority of the discussions occurring in two subreddits, while six subreddits did not have any discussions. Despite this, the level of engagement within ChatGPT posts was substantial; for instance, a ChatGPT post hosted a median of 15 comments, and these comments were lengthy, indicating rich engagement rather than superficial. The content of ChatGPT discussions across the six largest education-related subreddits differed in the degree of analytical thinking and emotional tone even while sharing a predominant focus on students and AI. Diverse reactions to and perspectives on GenAI--observed from varied levels of volume, engagement, and content of ChatGPT across educational-related subreddits--highlights how diverse educational stakeholders reacted to GenAI differently, offering insights into how to explore, analyze, and comprehend the spread and adoption of technological innovation in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|
Copyright of Online Learning is the property of Online Learning Consortium and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| Database: |
Education Research Complete |
