Exploring Students’ Perception and Use of Generative AI : A comparative study between Botswana and Sweden

Sammanfattning

This study aimed to identify similarities and differences in the perception and use of generative AI between students in two different countries with potentially different conditions for the diffusion of these tools. The question for the study was: “How do students’ perception and use of generative AI in education differ between Botswana and Sweden?”, with a sub-question: “What further initiatives could be valuable to reduce the risk of an AI divide between students in Botswana and Sweden?”. To investigate the question, a survey study was conducted, with 91 respondents, with questions about access, use and perception of generative AI, which were analyzed quantitatively, and an interview study with questions designed according to the UTAUT framework. The results show that students in Botswana and Sweden have similar knowledge of, use of and trust in generative AI, although use and perception differ in some areas. These differences include the number of tools used, the tools used, their applications, as well as perceptions of risks and the impact that generative AI may have on society. Students from Botswana reported using a greater number and variety of generative AI tools, while students in Sweden reported using generative AI tools for a wider range of applications.