Tesol graduates' views on the impacts and ethical aspects of ChatGPT in academic writing

Abstract

The integration of ChatGPT into education is gaining global attention from researchers. Several studies have explored this issue in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam; however, further graduate research is needed to fully understand its impacts. Therefore, this research was conducted at one of the universities in the Mekong Delta to investigate TESOL graduates’ views regarding the benefits, challenges and ethical considerations of using this tool in supporting their academic writing. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, involving surveying 68 students and interviewing 9 participants. Findings indicate that students find ChatGPT helpful for their academic writing such as proofreading, improving coherence and paraphrasing. However, there exist certain limitations like potential plagiarism, data accuracy and reliability and learners’ passivity. The study suggests the necessity for clear guidelines and training to maximize ChatGPT's benefits while maintaining academic honesty. These insights highlight the importance of balanced AI integration in education to foster students' critical thinking and writing skills.