Enhancing Self-regulated Learning Through an Emotional Chatbot: A Conceptual Framework

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of e-learning, revealing significant challenges such as low interaction, poor communication, and inadequate self-regulation skills among students. This chapter addresses these issues by proposing an innovative conceptual framework that integrates an emotional chatbot, named ProgressBot, into e-learning platforms to enhance self-regulated learning (SRL). The framework focuses on the forethought phase of SRL, where students set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. ProgressBot assists students in defining these goals, managing their motivation, and tracking their learning progress. The chapter delves into the architectural components of the framework, including the AI front-end chatbot, goals generator, emotions detector, and knowledge bases for smart goals and academic emotions. It also discusses the role of emotions in SRL, highlighting how positive emotions can support students in managing their learning, while negative emotions may hinder their progress. The proposed framework aims to create a more personalized and supportive learning environment, fostering students' emotional well-being and academic achievement. By leveraging emotional intelligence, ProgressBot can adapt its responses and interventions to better support students throughout the SRL process. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the limitations of the current framework and future work, emphasizing the potential of emotional chatbots in revolutionizing e-learning and enhancing students' self-regulation skills.