Enhancing reflective practices in higher education with AI-supported anthropomorphic coaches

Abstract

This paper reports on a pilot study exploring the use of generative AI and anthropomorphic coaches to enhance students’ reflective practices. Reflective practice is crucial for critical thinking and self-awareness. AI-driven feedback systems and lifelike avatars may create interactive, engaging environments for deeper student reflection. Drawing on observations from an ongoing project using Soul Machines Studio at the University of Auckland Business School, this inquiry considers anthropomorphic AI coaches’ ability to provide timely feedback and support reflective work in postgraduate courses. As a work-in-progress, we describe two use cases: (a) Refining team collaboration through AI-guided reflection and (b) providing feedback on reflective journal writing. We also outline future work on scalability, longitudinal studies, learning management system integration, cross-cultural adaptation, and ethical frameworks. We highlight AI's potential to develop students’ reflective practices and contribute to integrating advanced technologies in education.