APPLICATIONS OF AI-BASED VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: AN OVERVIEW OF MODELS AND APPROACHES IN BUILDING AI-BASED VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SYSTEMS FOR LEARNING SUPPORT
Main Article Content
Abstract
In the context of the strong shift towards digitalization in higher education, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly playing an essential role in innovating teaching and learning methods, especially for e-learning and blended learning. AI-powered virtual assistants (also known as AI chatbots) not only help personalize learning paths and provide instant feedback to students, but also support lecturers in designing learning materials, monitoring progress, and reducing repetitive tasks. However, AI-powered virtual assistants are not a complete replacement for lecturers. The effectiveness of this technology depends heavily on how it is integrated and monitored from a pedagogical, system administration, and ethical perspective. This article aims to summarize the application directions of AI and AI-powered virtual assistants, analyze typical models, and summarize outstanding research results. Through this, the research discusses and points out gaps that need further clarification, contributing to improving the capacity and adaptability of AI-powered virtual assistant systems in current higher education.
Keywords
AI, AI Virtual Assistant, Higher Education, Training
Article Details
References
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Al Darayseh, A. (2023). Acceptance of artificial intelligence in teaching science: Science teachers' perspective. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 4, 100132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100132
Alamri, H. A., Watson, S., & Watson, W. (2021). Learning technology models that support personalization within blended learning environments in higher education. TechTrends, 65, 62–78.
Baskara, N. (2023). Chatbots and flipped learning: Enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes through personalised support and collaboration. International Journal of Recent Educational Research.
Bates, T., Cobo, C., Marino, O., & Wheeler, S. (2020). Can artificial intelligence transform higher education? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17, Article 42.
Beege, M., Ninaus, M., Schneider, S., Nebel, S., Schlemmel, J., Weidenmüller, J., Moeller, K., & Rey, G. D. (2020). Investigating the effects of beat and deictic gestures of a lecturer in educational videos. Computers & Education, 156, Article 103955.
Bhutoria, A. (2022). Personalized education and artificial intelligence in the United States, China, and India: A systematic review using a Human-In-The-Loop model. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, Article 100068.
Chen, Y., Jensen, S., Albert, L. J., Gupta, S., & Lee, T. (2022). Artificial Intelligence (AI) Student Assistants in the Classroom: Designing Chatbots to Support Student Success. Information Systems Frontiers, 25, 161-182.
Chocarro, R., Cortiñas, M., & Marcos-Matás, G. (2021). Teachers’ attitudes towards chatbots in education: A technology acceptance model approach considering the effect of social language, bot proactiveness, and users’ characteristics. Educational Studies, 47(3), 295–313. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2020.1850426
Corbett, A. T., & Anderson, J. R. (1994). Knowledge tracing: Modeling the acquisition of procedural knowledge. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 4(4), 253–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01099821
Corbi, A. (2024). AI and University. A Successful Marriage. In Lecture Notes in Educational Technology: Vol. Part F3960 (pp. 111–126). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-8638-1_8
Cunningham-Nelson, S., Boles, W., Trouton, L., & Margerison, E. (2019). A Review of Chatbots in Education: Practical Steps Forward. AAEE Conference Proceedings.
Duong, T., & Suppasetseree, S. (2024). The effects of an artificial intelligence voice Chatbot on improving Vietnamese undergraduate students’ English speaking skills. International Journal of Learning Teaching and Educational Research.
Essel, H. B., Vlachopoulos, D., Tachie-Menson, A., Johnson, E. E., & Baah, P. K. (2022). The impact of a virtual teaching assistant (chatbot) on students' learning in Ghanaian higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 19(1), Article 57.
Essel, H., Adjei, E., & Tchamalo, B. (2022). The impact of a virtual teaching assistant (Chatbot) on students' learning in Ghanaian higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education.
Hobert, S. (2019). Say Hello to ‘Coding Tutor’! Design and Evaluation of a Chatbotbased Learning System Supporting Students to Learn to Program. Fortieth International Conference on Information Systems.
Hwang, G. J., & Chang, C. Y. (2021). A review of opportunities and challenges of Chatbots in education. Interactive Learning Environments.
Inman, W. (2022). Classroom Chatbot Improves Student Performance, Study Says. Truy cập: https://news.gsu.edu/2022/03/21/classroom-chatbot-improves-student-performance-study-says/
Kabudi, T., Pappas, I. O., & Olsen, D. H. (2021). AI-enabled adaptive learning systems: A systematic mapping of the literature. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2, Article 100017.
Knobloch, J., Kaltenbach, J., & Brügge, B. (2018). Increasing student engagement in higher education using a context-aware Q&A teaching framework. In Proceedings of the 40th International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering Education and Training. Pp: 136–145.
Koedinger, K. R., & Corbett, A. (2006). Cognitive Tutors: Technology Bringing Learning Science to the Classroom. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255519934
Liao, X., & Pan, X. (2023). Application of Virtual Assistants in Education: A Bibliometric Analysis in WOS Using CiteSpace. 113–123. https://doi.org/10.1145/3588243.3588274
Mashilo, N., & Shekgola, M. (2024). Utilising artificial intelligence Chatbots for student support at comprehensive open distance e-learning higher learning institutions in the fifth industrial revolution. Journal of Education Society & Multiculturalism.
McCarthy, S., Palmer, E., & Falkner, N. (2025). Personalising with AI in higher education: Exploring educator characteristics and their role in shaping blended learning. Higher Education Research & Development, 44(8), 2030–2046.
Neumann, A. T., et al. (2021). Chatbots as a Tool to Scale Mentoring Processes: Individually Supporting Self-Study in Higher Education. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence, 4, 668220.
Nguyen, A., Hong, Y., Dang, B., & Huang, X. (2024). Human-AI collaboration patterns in chatbots-assisted academic writing. Studies in Higher Education, 49(5), 847864.
Ouyang, F., Zheng, L., & Jiao, P. (2022). Artificial intelligence in online higher education: A systematic review of empirical research from 2011 to 2020. Education and Information Technologies, 27(6), 7893–7925.
Prematillake, T. M., & Lim, I. (2018). The role of unplanned encounters and complexity of influences in foreign graduates' first full-time job search in Singapore. Journal of International Students, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v8i1.152
Reicher, H., Frenkel, Y., Lavi, M. J., Nasser, R., Milo, Y., Sheinin, R., Shtaif, M., & Milo, T. (2025). A generative AI-empowered digital tutor for higher education courses. Information, 16(4), Article 264.
Roca, M. D. L., Chan, M. M., Garcia-Cabot, A., Garcia-Lopez, E., & AmadoSalvatierra, H. (2024). The impact of a Chatbot working as an assistant in a course for supporting student learning and engagement. Computer Applications in Engineering Education.
Sajja, R., Sermet, Y., Cwiertny, D., & Demir, I. (2023). Platform-independent and curriculum-oriented intelligent assistant for higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, Article 42.
Salem, M., & Shaalan, K. (2023). ChatGPT: Advancing Education with Virtual Assistants. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, 394 SIST, 283–293. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-3980-6_25
Smutny, P., & Schreiberova, P. (2020). Chatbots for learning: A review of educational chatbots for the Facebook Messenger. Computers & Education, 151, 103862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103862
Vanichvasin, P. (2021). Chatbot Development as a Digital Learning Tool to Increase Students’ Research Knowledge. International Education Studies, 14 (2), 44-52.
Yang, S. J. H., Ogata, H., Matsui, T., & Chen, N. S. (2021). Human-centered artificial intelligence in education: Seeing the invisible through the visible. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2, Article 100008.
Youssef Alyoussef, I., Mohammed Drwish, A., Adel Albakheet, F., Hassan Alhajhoj, R., & Ahmed Al-Mousa, A. (2025). AI Adoption for Collaboration: Factors Influencing Inclusive Learning Adoption in Higher Education. IEEE Access, 13, 81690–81713. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3567656.