EFFECTS OF USING CHATGPT ON WORKING MEMORY PERFORMANCE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

This study identified the effects of using ChatGPT on working memory performance from the perspective of university students. The study sample comprised 220 university students in the second and third levels at the Faculty of Education, Helwan University, (n=73, 32.2%) males, (n=147, 66.8%) females, with a mean age and standard deviation of 19.72 and 2.39, respectively. The study used a self-constructed questionnaire for data collection; this questionnaire comprised the positive and negative effects of using ChatGPT on working memory performance. Results showed the existence of many positive effects of using ChatGPT on working memory performance from the perspective of university students, which were presented in providing diverse solutions to problems and academic tasks, performing academic duties, and saving time and effort. The findings also indicated the existence of some negative effects, especially in remembering steps, numbers, and details after completing the required task, and in general, the occurrence of negative effects on working memory performance in the long term owing to continuous reliance on ChatGPT for educational tasks, Also results showed that the majority of participants (88.2%) use GBT chat daily, with multiple uses including studying and daily life (58.2%). The study findings are useful for retailing the positive and negative effects from the perspective of university students, drawing the attention of educators, university faculty, and artificial intelligence program developers to these effects, to work on formulating a strategy for using artificial intelligence tools in the educational process, especially those that directly affect the working memory performance of university students.