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Using Chatbots in Higher Education to Enhance the Student Experience

N-TUTORR snapshot of the use of artificial intelligence chatbots in higher education

Dr Sarah Carroll, with Dr Carina Ginty and Dr Moira Maguire

Using Chatbots in Higher Education to Enhance the Student Experience
March 24, 2024

Recent years have seen a rise in the use of artificial intelligence chatbots in higher education as institutions seek to use them as a tool to enhance the student learning experience.

Underlying factors driving the implementation of chatbots in education include improving administration and teaching efficiency; increasing student motivation; and engaging and widening the availability, personalisation and equitable access of education.

This N-TUTORR snapshot paper, designed for discussion and intended to serve as a foundation for dialogue and collaboration, seeks to provide an overview and examples of the use of chatbots in higher education.

Key recommendations:
  • Section 1 provides a short overview of chatbots in education, including definitions, classifications, design, usage and benefits.
  • Section 2 describes several examples of chatbot use in Higher Education, including service-oriented and teaching-oriented chatbots.
  • Section 3 lists questions that may be considered by practitioners in higher education seeking to create their own chatbot.