A Guide to Chatbots in eLearning

Table of Contents

1. What is a Chatbot?
2. Types of Chatbots
3. Problems with Traditional Online Experiences
4. How Can Chatbots be Used in eLearning?
5. Chatbots for eLearning Websites
6. How to Create Chatbots for Learning?
7. Integrating Chatbots with Learning Management Systems and Learning Experience Platforms
8. Future of Chatbots

Introduction

It\’s always helpful to have a guide to direct you in the right direction especially when you’re embarking on a new journey or learning something new. It makes you more comfortable because the guide helps you navigate the new landscape or answers your questions along the way. Now, think about this!

That\’s precisely what Chatbots do!

This article provides a simple roadmap to guide the learners about the basics of chatbots and how they impact the eLearning industry. Ready to dive in?

What is a Chatbot?

Chatbots are software applications that integrate natural language processing and artificial intelligence to understand the needs and requirements of learners. A chatbot acts as a guide to reach the desired learning outcome, task, or procure the output in the least possible time. Thus, it makes the process of navigating much more accessible.

It\’s a virtual assistant and can serve a variety of functions. Chatbots are revolutionizing the way we carry on various roles and help to increase customer engagement. According to Acquire, 1.4 billion people are actively using chatbots regularly. This statistic comprises a massive chunk of people associated with this form of Artificial Intelligence.

Further, chatbots can answer eighty percent of standard questions, proving how far technology has come. Chatbots are helpful in various customer engagement processes, including customer service, eCommerce purchases, answering frequently asked questions, product consultation, data collection, etc. Chatbots are the future, and they have arrived to create an indelible mark in the learning industry.

Types of Chatbots

The types of Chatbots vary according to the user\’s end goal and can serve various applications. There are two major types of chatbots:

• Decision tree bots are also known as rule-based chatbots and function by set rules. Various paths use a graphical user interface to help in designing these bots. The design of rule-based chatbots fits into a particular scenario and carries out specific tasks to help the learner.
• Artificial intelligence chatbots: These bots answer more complicated questions and use natural language responses. They assimilate more information and tailor responses according to the learners\’ intent and specifications.

Building a rule-based bot is simpler than artificial intelligence bots and much easier to train. It is also faster to prepare and provides instantaneous results. On the other hand, AI bots can predict the customers\’ moods and interact with them according to their situation.

Problems with Traditional Online Experience

Many factors, including availability, commitment issues, data security risks, etc., bind humans in multiple ways. In contrast, chatbots are reliable and help increase productivity and efficiency. Some of the problems that a learner might face in online experiences are:

• Difficulty in Multi-tasking: A virtual assistant has limitations and cannot take multiple clients at one point in time. Chatbots remove this hindrance seamlessly.
• Language Barrier: Even though English is a global language, people from various regions use slang words that a virtual assistant might not understand. In contrast, chatbots can pick up on the keywords and provide the user\’s solution.
• Online Threats: Cyber-crimes have exponentially increased in the past few years. One has to be extremely careful regarding data security. A complete background check is required while hiring a virtual assistant.
• Lack of Personal Supervision: If a higher authority doesn\’t administer personal supervision, the employees may slack or create excuses. This factor can hamper the growth of the company. A constant check is required in the case of traditional online experiences to ensure that the quality isn\’t compromised.

How Can Chatbots be Used in eLearning?

Chatbots use machine learning and artificial intelligence tools and go through large data clusters to select the best insights for a conversation. They will learn from their mistakes, which means they will be just as knowledgeable as human consultants. Developers train these chatbots by reviewing the datasets during the first stage of development. Once set up, the chatbot will differentiate the information on its own. Chatbots can be customized to

meet the needs of learners. Natural language processing algorithms analyze the learner\’s speech and modify the suggestions accordingly.

Chatbots are, in a sense, virtual assistants and can serve a variety of functions. Although you can use chatbots in multiple use cases, this article discusses eLearning. Chatbots are practical tools for learning and training as they can help a learner and even adapt to their specific requirements. It can further provide personal assistance and keep track of the study progress in an organized manner.

While creating a chatbot, it\’s essential to understand the customers\’ requirements. It is also crucial that the chatbot integrates easily with the learning management system and learning experience platform. Consistent data storage through the bot can help learners track their progress.

Chatbots for eLearning Website

Chatbots are rapidly creating a common thread to connect technology and learning. Bots perform a range of functions, provide a customized experience for the learner, and play a crucial role in upgrading the students\’ skills.  

A chatbot linked to a learning website (Learning Experience Platform/Learning Management System) can help the learners find the courses and learning resources they desire. It can also help the learners enroll in the eLearning courses of choice. In addition, the chatbot can answer general questions, which typically are responded to by the help desk support team. A chatbot can free up your team\’s time to focus on other priorities and let the chatbot answer some other routine questions about your learners\’ enrollment policies about the availability of courses, your company information, and much more.

The significant advantages of using chatbots for eLearning sites are as follows:

• Personalization: Each learner has their own pace of learning and adapts to different teaching methodologies. Chatbots have the flexibility to adjust to the learner\’s particular needs and perform various functions. For example, A chatbot can help learn a new language or direct the learners to choose a course suitable for their needs.
• Improves Learners\’ Engagement: Chatbots can function dualistically, whether it\’s a one-on-one interaction or a group interaction. This function can allow students to get multiple views from various learners and help enrich their knowledge.
• Self-Analysis: Chatbots are not limited to providing essential interactions. They aid in tracking the progress through various devices, which motivates the learners to push forward.
• Availability: Statistics have proved that 64% of internet users consider the general availability of chatbots as one of the best features. Chatbots help the learners to get immediate responses in a fraction of time.

Chatbots for Online Courses

A chatbot can provide support and assistance to the learner on your learning website, but a chatbot can also be associated with any specific eLearning course.

For example, a chatbot associated with a specific eLearning course can provide the user with course completion and status information. It can also answer frequently asked questions. The learners can type their queries in natural language without browsing a long list of pages to find what they\’re looking for.

A chatbot can present content in multimedia format within a familiar chat interface to the learner. For example, the chatbot can show a sequence of slides or multimedia content such as videos within the chat and enable learners to ask questions along the way. The chatbot can present course-related reminders, learning reinforcement, assess learners\’ progress, and provide remediation.

How to Create Chatbots for Learning

Chatbots are pertinent for learning and helpful in carrying out various functions. They have to be designed carefully, keeping the learner and target audience in mind. Some of the practices which developers can follow while creating chatbots are:

• Analyze Learner\’s Objectives: While creating a chatbot, the developer must clarify the learner\’s background. The responses given by the chatbot should align with the learners\’ interests.
• Pick an Expert Development Team: Creating a chatbot aligning with the specific learning aims requires professional software programming skills. Various stages of creation require a great deal of planning and analysis. Picking the appropriate personnel is necessary for creating the chatbots.

• Testing the Chatbot: Various tests are run on the chatbot before implementing it on the site. This step will ensure proper functioning when the chatbots interact with the learners.

• Deploying it within the Network: The final stage of a chatbot is to deploy it within the network to assist the learners after testing. This step ensures that the chatbot fits cohesively within the existing structure.

Integrating Chatbots with Learning Management Systems and Learning Experience Platforms

Most of the eLearning platforms provide chatbot capabilities with integration. It\’s a handy tool where the user can use the chat interface and communicate with this assistant\’s help. The chatbot allows a user to complete many tasks efficiently. While implementing this tool, it is essential to maintain the data security and privacy of the user. When a chatbot integrates with the LMS and Learning Experience Platform, it can benefit the learners in multiple ways:

• Supports On-the-go Learning: Chatbots allow the learner complete access through mobiles and tablets and help users learn from any corner of the world. The learners enjoy complete flexibility while interacting with a chatbot.
• Customization of Results: The Artificial Intelligence features of the chatbots allow the results to be displayed as per the learner\’s needs and specifications. Varied learners have different backgrounds and different requirements. The chatbots can also trace a learner\’s browser history and provide recommendations accordingly.
• Instant Results: Chatbots help to process information in real-time. It becomes easier for a learner to get instant feedback and results. Integrating chatbots with Learning Management Systems even helps keep track of the learner\’s progress.

Future of Chatbots

Chatbots are ubiquitous and are revolutionizing the eLearning Industry in a significant way. Chatbots are now more conversational with the use of AI. Different industries will be implementing AI-powered chatbots across core business processes. More businesses are experiencing the functional benefits of AI-powered chatbots. They will also help boost customer satisfaction and sales while reducing costs.

The power of Instancy\’s Chatbot Composer helps build a chatbot knowledge base from documents, webpages, and simple questions & answers lists in minutes and lets artificial intelligence do the rest for you. Click here to explore it further.

Chatbots will become a must-have feature for any business to keep up with the ever-changing technology and trends!

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