Analysing Conversation Pathways with a Chatbot Tutor to Enhance Self-Regulation in Higher Education

• Published in: Education sciences Vol. 14; no. 6; p. 590
• Main Authors: Martins, Ludmila, Fernández-Ferrer, Maite, Puertas, Eloi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Analysis; Anthropomorphism; Automation; chatbot; Chatbots; Computational linguistics; Continuing education; Distance learning; Education; Education, Higher; Educational Environment; Educational Objectives; Educational Practices; Educational Technology; higher education; Innovations; Language; Language processing; Learning Processes; Learning strategies; lifelong learning; Literature Reviews; Natural language interfaces; Online instruction; Pedagogy; R&D; Research & development; School Holding Power; Student Interests; Student retention; Teachers; Teaching; teaching/learning strategies; Technology application; Verbal communication; Spain
• ISSN: 2227-7102; 2227-7102
• DOI: 10.3390/educsci14060590

Chatbots can have a significant positive impact on learning. There is a growing interest in their application in teaching and learning. The self-regulation of learning is fundamental for the development of lifelong learning skills, and for this reason, education should contribute to its development. In this sense, the potential of chatbot technologies for supporting students to self-regulate their learning activity has already been pointed out. The objective of this work is to explore university students’ interactions with EDUguia chatbot to understand whether there are patterns of use linked to phases of self-regulated learning and academic task completion. This study presents an analysis of conversation pathways with a chatbot tutor to enhance self-regulation skills in higher education. Some relevant findings on the length, duration, and endpoints of the conversations are shared. In addition, patterns in these pathways and users’ interactions with the tool are analysed. Some findings are relevant to the analysis of the link between design and user experience, but they can also be related to implementation decisions. The findings presented could contribute to the work of other educators, designers, and developers interested in developing a tool addressing this goal.