Joint Study by University of Manchester and Universidad del Pais Vasco Reveals Lecturers Overestimate Student AI Usage by 2.12 Points
New research shows a significant cognitive bias between university staff and students regarding the frequency of generative AI use in studies.
A new joint study by the University of Manchester in the UK and the Universidad del Pais Vasco in Spain reveals that university lecturers significantly overestimate the extent to which students use generative artificial intelligence in their studies. Conducted between April and June 2024, the research surveyed 45 academic staff and 86 students from a school of social science disciplines at a research-intensive university.
The data shows that when rating their perception of AI use, responding academic staff recorded an average score of 5.23 out of 7, whereas students self-reported an average of only 3.11. This notable perception gap suggests that educators may be formulating strategies based on assumptions rather than actual experience. Researchers noted that while students might underreport usage, it remains difficult for lecturers to spot AI use, adding complexity to policy development.
Dr. Mark Carrigan, Senior Lecturer in Education at The University of Manchester and one of the study’s authors, stated: “We need to move beyond a climate of suspicion and focus on how these tools can be used appropriately to support learning, while rethinking teaching and assessment for an AI-enabled world.” He emphasized that because staff and students have quite different perceptions of how AI is being used, it is difficult for universities to develop effective responses based on assumptions rather than a clear understanding of students’ experiences.