AI Chatbots in Education - the Future of Teaching and Learning

Abstract

AI chatbots in education can offer substantial benefits for both students and teachers by monitoring learners’ progress, adapting to individual learning pace, supporting instruction and enhancing teachers’ pedagogical practice. This study aims to outline key strategies and practical guidance for the responsible integration of chatbots into higher education. An initial evidence synthesis was conducted using a systematic–narrative hybrid review of the literature, a simplified PRISMA-style flow diagram and thematic coding of the narrative synthesis; 36 peer-reviewed articles were identified. The review makes an original contribution by mapping emerging pedagogical, technological and ethical dimensions of chatbot adoption that remain under-examined in existing secondary studies. Evolving roles of AI chatbots in learning design, student engagement, interaction and assessment, along with opportunities to strengthen their educational value, are identified. The study also offers practical implications by outlining evidence-informed strategies for instructors, curriculum designers and institutions to support the effective and responsible implementation of AI chatbots. Future work will extend the search to additional databases and examine discipline-specific applications of AI chatbots.