From Chalk to Chatbots: Students’ Perceptions of ChatGPT as a Cognitive Scaffold in Undergraduate Linguistics

This study aims to examine students’ perceptions of the use of ChatGPT as a learning support tool in undergraduate linguistics education. The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence has introduced new tools that influence teaching and learning in higher education. Among these tools, ChatGPT has become widely used by students to support academic learning. This study examined students’ perceptions of the use of ChatGPT in learning Linguistics at the Muslim University of Morogoro. A qualitative research approach was employed, and data were collected through mixed questions (closed and open-ended questions) via a questionnaire from 92 undergraduate Linguistics students. The findings indicate that most students use ChatGPT mainly to understand difficult linguistic concepts, while others use it to solve syntax and phonology exercises. However, perceptions about its impact on analytical thinking were mixed. Some students believed that ChatGPT encourages critical thinking, while others argued that over-reliance on AI may weaken independent reasoning and analytical skills. The study concludes that ChatGPT can be a valuable supporting tool in learning Linguistics; however, to bridge the gap between AI integration and independent reasoning, this study proposes a ‘Linguistic-Critical AI-Audit Framework (L-CAAF)’ for Linguistics education. This framework contributes to pedagogical practice by shifting the lecturer’s role from a content provider to a critical facilitator.