Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

First Advisor

Qiping Zhang

Second Advisor

David Jank

Third Advisor

Elizabeth Milonas

Abstract

This study investigated college students’ attitudes and acceptance of generative AI tools like ChatGPT. These tools are advanced programs capable of understanding questions and responding in a conversational manner. The main objective is to determine whether college students find generative AI tools helpful for their learning and schoolwork. A comprehensive survey was conducted with 57 college students at an online survey platform SurveyMonkey.com. The survey solicited college students’ perceived usefulness of generative AI tools in academic settings regarding their school activities (such as writing papers, explaining complex topics, coding, solving math problems, and researching information). The model of Diffusion of innovations and UTAUA2 guided the design of this study. The study revealed several key insights into college students' use of generative AI tools. Primarily, students' intention to use generative AI tools are significantly influenced by the perceived ease of use and reasonable cost. Additionally, students' attitudes towards generative AI tools are positively affected by the perceived ease of use and the support they receive from their social circles. When it comes to actual usage, having access to necessary resources and technical support, as well as being influenced by early adopters, plays a crucial role. Notably, the study found that age and gender do not significantly affect these relationships, indicating consistent factors across different demographic groups.

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