Exploring the opportunities and challenges of NLP models in higher education: is Chat GPT a blessing or a curse?

The Difference Between Emergency Remote Teaching and e-Learning

The world has evolved dramatically in the last several decades and continues to do so. ChatGPT has sparked intense speculation and interest among academic stakeholders about how this emerging technology will transform higher education. In particular, there is ambiguity among researchers and teaching professionals on how to deal with the integration of natural language processing models (e.g., ChatGPT) practically and ethically. The use of ChatGPT is an emerging area of interest that presently lacks the perspective of students on this new technology. Thus, an exploratory study design was applied as a methodological frame to investigate the problem empirically. Semi-structured interview data was gathered from current university students to thematically analyze the phenomenon. The thematic analysis revealed three themes: (1) support for autonomous learning, (2) digital and artificial tutoring, and (3) academic misconduct and ethical considerations. The article presents theoretical and managerial implications and advances the discussion about natural language processing models in higher education. Moreover, the study contributes to the body of knowledge by closing a theoretical gap in the literature on how university students utilize artificial chatbots for and during their studies.

Gamification is about applying gaming strategies and game elements to improve learning, and thus, making it more engaging for individuals. The application of gamification in higher education aims to incentivize students and is said to improve the efficiency of self-paced learning. The study aims to explore the perceived usefulness and challenges of gamified learning in the context of a massive open online course. A qualitative exploratory study design was adopted to collect empirical data from 19 undergraduate students about their experiences with gamified learning. An inductive approach was used to interpret the results thematically. A total of four themes emerged from the data analysis. The collected data revealed that Students’ competitive behavior has a significant effect on Students’ marks in the activities. Moreover, instant gratification from immediate feedback and evaluation was perceived as highly motivating for the students. The article concludes by presenting implications for educators, policymakers, and education researchers derived from the academic and practical discussions based on the findings.

Thematic analysis is a widely used method for analyzing qualitative data in social sciences research. This research article provides a step-by-step guide on conducting thematic analysis manually, emphasizing the importance of understanding the process for researchers seeking a deeper grasp of the nuances involved. The article highlights the key steps, including familiarizing oneself with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing and refining them, defining and naming the themes, and producing a final report. Through iterative reading, note-taking, and coding techniques, researchers can delve deep into the data, capture meaningful details, and uncover rich insights. Thematic analysis offers a valuable avenue for developing theoretical understanding, generating nuanced interpretations, and contributing to knowledge advancement in tourism research. The article also discusses the relevance and adaptability of thematic analysis in various qualitative research designs and methodologies. By prioritizing transparency, rigor, and a manual coding approach, researchers can ensure the validity and reliability of their thematic analysis, leading to robust and insightful findings.

It is reasonable to state that Thailand’s economic impact had been severe due to the lack of international tourists. In particular, the mass-tourist destination Phuket has suffered economic consequences as the result of plunged international passenger arrivals, and inadequate domestic tourists to fill their place. The objective of the paper is to identify inadequacies that help stakeholders to manage tourism development amid COVID-19 more effectively. The empirical data for this study was collected through a series of semi-structured interviews (n = 21) with local small business owners. The study offers insights into the recent tourism development during the COVID-19 global pandemic and discloses a high level of resilience amongst the small local business owner community. The majority of small business owners were able to seize opportunities through the adaptation of their business models that have the potential for long-term success.