Student experiences of the integration of artificial intelligence in public health studies in higher education in South Africa

Abstract

This study investigated students’ experiences of the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in public health studies in South African higher education. With an increasing global interest in incorporating AI technology into educational contexts, public health education is looking for effective approaches to integrate AI into teaching and learning processes. The aim of this research was to look at the benefits and drawbacks of AI integration, identify ethical concerns about its use, investigate strategies for removing technological barriers to student access, and propose a framework for effectively implementing AI in South African higher education. The study used a case study methodology with a qualitative research design, using students enrolled in public health programmes as the case study. Connectivism and TAM guided the study’s interpretation of the findings. Data were gathered through online questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis then thematically analysed to provide detailed insights into students’ perceptions and experiences. The findings demonstrate that AI is a valuable tool for improving data-driven decision-making, administrative and research duties, and learning outcomes. The study also discovered that AI encourages personal development and broadens critical thinking skills among users. This study further showed that ChatGPT was the most popular AI tool among students, mostly for knowledge generation and improving comprehension of difficult subjects. The study, however, identified challenges, including AI-generated content that is inaccurate and ambiguous, misleading or obsolete information, and poor citation procedures. Ethical concerns arose, mainly around plagiarism, in which students may present AI-generated work as their own without proper acknowledgment. To address these ethical concerns, the study recommended creating explicit institutional policies and standards to control and guide the ethical use of AI in teaching and learning. The study also highlighted the need to address infrastructural and digital disparities as not all students have constant access to computers or dependable internet connectivity. It is thus proposed that AI be integrated into institutional digital libraries or learning platforms that allow access to laptops and other technical resources. Based on these findings, the study proposed a framework for effectively integrating AI into teaching and learning processes in South African higher education.