Professors’ Perceptions on the Use of ChatGPT in Higher Education: a case study in Brazil

Abstract

Since the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), higher education professors worldwide have faced challenges related to academic integrity, ethics, cognitive bias, and the absence of clear regulation. Conversely, GAI holds significant potential to enhance educational experiences by increasing student engagement and enabling personalized learning. This study examines university professors’ perspectives on the use of ChatGPT as a teaching tool before, during, and after participating in a professional development workshop at a public university in Brazil. In August 2023, professors from diverse academic disciplines engaged in both individual and collaborative online synchronous and asynchronous activities over five days, including forum discussions, lectures, and self-reflection tasks. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the workshop’s organization, methodology, and instructional resources. Their primary motivations for attending were the desire to update their pedagogical practices and to exchange experiences with peers. Although participants demonstrated a general understanding of GAI, their familiarity with the technology varied: some had already used it, while others had not. Initially, their primary concern involved students’ use of GAI, however, they gradually recognized its potential to support their own teaching practices. After the workshop, participants reported feeling more confident about incorporating GAI into education and identified multiple possibilities for applying it within their disciplines. Overall, the findings highlight the transformative potential of faculty development initiatives to reshape professors’ attitudes toward GAI and ChatGPT, emphasizing the need for continuous professional learning and institutional support to promote the responsible and effective integration of these technologies in higher education.