The evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has given rise to new Internet-based writing tools such as Quillbot, ChatGPT, Bard, Grammarly, and Google Translator with diverse functionalities. These AI-powered tools are increasingly used by students for tasks such as writing assignments, text translation, spelling enhancement, text rewriting and editing, summarizing and checking for plagiarism. However, the usage of these AI-powered tools in the educational setting poses many challenges especially to entry-level engineering students such as misusing these tools, not able to understand and verify the tool’s suggestions, and generating content without right attribution or understanding. Therefore, to understand entry-level engineering students’ perceptions of usefulness of AI-powered writing tools in the academic setting, data were collected through online survey from 482 entry-level engineering students studying in various engineering colleges in Odisha, India. Through the application of k-means clustering, different student types with varying attitudes towards these tools are identified. The results showed many students perceived AI-powered writing tools beneficial: first, enhancing the quality of writing; second, receiving immediate feedback; third, obtaining personalized assistance to their own style of writing; and fourth, supporting writing skill development. Finally, the study recommends teachers and educators the need for both – tailored teaching strategies to promote responsible use of AI-powered writing tools; and cautionary approaches to minimize the risk of over-reliance, accuracy issues, and ethical considerations.

Authors:
Ramya Devi Bommanaboina, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan University, India
Rajakumar Guduru, IIT Bhubaneswar, India
Lalitha Devi Bommanaboina, Madanapalle Institute of Technology and Sciences, India

About the Presenter(s)
I am an interactive teacher focused on collaborative learning in English Language Education. My teaching career from 2014 to July 2019 provided insights into the challenges faced by disadvantaged learners in writing and speaking.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramya-devi-bommanaboina-4892b6148/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ramya-Bommanaboina

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