Using ChatGPT Wisely
Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are now widely used by students around the world. And why not? Whether you're trying to understand a tricky concept, draft a cover letter, or get feedback on a piece of writing, AI can feel like a helpful shortcut. For many international learners, it’s a quick and accessible way to get answers, especially when studying in a second language.
In other articles here on our website, we’ve explored how tools like ChatGPT can support international students in several useful ways. We’ve suggested using it to demystify complex academic topics, generate ideas and plan assignments, understand academic instructions, get feedback on writing or ideas, and build confidence with English. These are all examples of how learners can use AI to supplement learning.
However, a recent article in Time magazine highlights how relying on ChatGPT may actually erode critical thinking skills, making it potentially harmful to the learning process.
The study looked at how people use AI like ChatGPT in problem-solving tasks and found that while AI can improve the quality of answers, it can also reduce users’ ability to think critically. Participants who relied on AI often failed to notice when it gave them incorrect or misleading information. Over time, this led to a decline in their independent thinking skills.
The researchers monitored brain activity using electroencephalogram — a method used to measure electrical activity in the brain (don’t worry if you didn’t know what that was — we had to look it up too!) while participants wrote essays using one of three methods: ChatGPT, traditional Google Search, or no digital tools at all (the "brain-only" group). The differences were striking.
The brain-only group (those who didn’t use any digital support) showed the highest brain connectivity, linked to creativity, memory processing, and semantic understanding. These participants were more engaged, more curious, and reported higher satisfaction with their work. They also expressed a sense of ownership over their essays.
The group using Google Search also showed active brain function and reported satisfaction with the process. This is especially interesting today, when many students go straight to ChatGPT rather than traditional search engines.
But here’s where it gets more revealing: when participants were later asked to rewrite one of their essays, the ChatGPT group struggled. Without the tool, they remembered little of what they’d written and showed weaker brain activity. This suggests that while they had completed the task, they hadn’t really absorbed or processed what they’d written. As one of the study’s authors put it, “The task was executed... but you didn’t integrate any of it into your memory networks.”
This is a key concern, especially when using AI to help with coursework. At first glance, ChatGPT may seem like the perfect study buddy — it's fast, confident, and never sleeps. But it doesn’t always get things right, and it doesn’t understand the meaning or context behind your assignments in the same way a person would. If you use it without questioning its suggestions, you risk submitting work that misses the point, contains errors, or fails to show your own understanding.
We know this firsthand from marking hundreds of IELTS Writing papers over the past few years since ChatGPT became popular. On the face of things, essays look great because they’re well-paragraphed, include things like topic sentences, paraphrasing, and a mix of sentence structures. However, when we deep dive into the content of many of the essays, they merely scratch the surface and seem a bit “soulless”. Unsurprisingly, many answers contained similar ideas, something also echoed by other English teachers interviewed in the Time article.
As we’ve said before, used responsibly, AI can be a fantastic way to supplement learning, but it should never be used to write essays and do all the work students should be doing themselves. So, how can you use AI effectively as an international student?
Here’s a quick reminder of how it can help:
Clarifying concepts: If you're struggling to understand a topic from your lectures or readings, asking ChatGPT to explain it in simpler terms can be a good starting point. You can even ask it to break things down step by step.
Practising language: ChatGPT can help you test your vocabulary, check grammar, or explore different ways of phrasing things. This can be particularly helpful if English isn't your first language.
Planning and brainstorming: Many students (not just international ones) find it difficult to start an essay or decide what information to include. AI can help you generate initial ideas – but always use these as a base, not a finished product.
Getting feedback: Some students use ChatGPT to get general feedback on their writing or presentation scripts. Again, take this as a guide and speak to your tutors for thorough and professional feedback.
Understanding instructions: Sometimes, assignment briefs and rubrics can be quite difficult to understand. AI can help explain them in more familiar terms, though it's still best to check with your tutor if anything isn’t clear.
The most important thing is to think of AI as a study tool, not a replacement for thinking. Just as you wouldn’t copy a friend’s assignment word for word, you shouldn’t rely on AI to do the intellectual work for you. Universities value your voice, ideas, and effort because these aspects make up your learning journey. Remember that sometimes we learn best through our failures, and overusing AI often doesn’t lead to the opportunities to do this (except if you’re caught out using it, and then you only learn what you should already know – not to use AI for assignments). Professors don’t expect students to hand in perfect essays. They’re being paid to provide their professional expertise and guidance to help shape students into better graduates, so don’t be afraid to make mistakes or be imperfect. It’s expected!
And, as the researchers found in the article, it’s also far more fulfilling to do the work yourself. The sense of pride and achievement that comes from earning high marks on an assignment you’ve researched and written independently is amazing.
Plus, people who use AI for everything will soon be found out, whether by lecturers and tutors at university, or by colleagues and managers later in their careers. University is where you develop skills like critical thinking and problem solving — all of which are highly valued by employers.
If you’ve used ChatGPT instead of developing these skills yourself, you could find that you’re at a disadvantage. You may even struggle to keep up with people who’ve taken the time to develop these skills the traditional way.
In short, use ChatGPT to support your learning, not to do it for you. Ask questions, check the answers, and apply your own judgement. That’s critical thinking! AI can be a helpful part of your academic journey, as long as you remember that you’re the one driving.