MOOC Chatbot Adoption and Learning Outcomes: Students’ Socioeconomic Regions and Navigational Behaviors

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  In Roundtable Session: Navigating the Landscape of Digital Divide in Education

Abstract

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) offer global educational opportunities but face persistent engagement and equity challenges. This mixed-methods study explores how chatbot adoption in a MOOC varies across socioeconomic regions, influences students’ course navigation, and relates to their engagement and completion rates. Results from system logs (n = 2,399 students) and survey responses (n = 194 participants) revealed that students from lower-middle-income regions showed the highest chatbot adoption rates and reported the most positive sentiments. Chatbot adopters demonstrated more exploratory navigation behaviors and achieved higher engagement and completion rates than non-adopters. These findings suggest that chatbots may support motivation and self-regulation among students in underserved contexts. However, equitable adoption remains a critical challenge, requiring further innovation to ensure accessibility.

Authors

• Songhee Han, Florida State University

• Min Liu, University of Texas at Austin