An evaluation of factors impacting the adoption of chatgpt for academic support and enhanced learning by postgraduate students

Abstract

This research evaluates the factors impactingthe adoption of ChatGPT for academic support and enhanced learning among postgraduate students. The research was guided by two objectives and seven hypotheses. The modified Technology Acceptance Model (m-TAM) was used as the theoretical lens of the research. A quantitative approach was employed and 120 postgraduate students were sampled from172 postgraduate students of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Sa’adu Zungur University Gadau, Bauchi Statethat formed the population of the research. Crejcie and Morgan's Table of sample size was used in determining the minimum sample size of 118 respondents and were drawn using a simple random sampling technique. Questionnaireswere used as an instrument for data collection. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling and Statistical Package for Social Sciences wereused in analysing the data. Findings revealed that the level of adoption of ChatGPT by the students is partial.Furthermore, out of the seven factors, six are positively significant in impacting the adoption of ChatGPT by postgraduate students with the security and privacy factor recording the highest impact of a P value of 0.000 while the perceived ease of use factor recorded the lowest impact of P values of 0.015. These findings will contribute by guiding the students and ChatGPT providerson what can influence and enhance the utilisation of ChatGPT so that its benefit can be obtained adequately.  It is recommended that students and ChatGPT providers should pay serious attention to these factors found influential in the adoption and use of ChatGPT.