Teaching with the Support of AI Chatbots to Develop Students’ Self-Directed Learning
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the pivotal role of AI chatbots in the higher education environment, particularly their potential to foster students' Self-directed learning competencies. The core objective is to explore how these AI tools can enhance the essential components of Self-directed learning in the digital learning setting: learner autonomy, self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, and personal responsibility. The research methodology involved a comprehensive literature review, analyzing both international and Vietnamese studies on the application of AI chatbots in teaching and learning, as well as their relationship with Self-directed learning development. Furthermore, representative case studies from various universities were compared to identify emerging trends, educational impacts, and current research gaps. The findings reveal that AI chatbots significantly contribute to improving learning outcomes, strengthening intrinsic motivation, personalizing learning experiences, and promoting students' self-regulation competence. However, challenges remain regarding the reliability of chatbot-generated information, implementation costs, and user resistance. The conclusion highlights the immense potential of AI chatbots in developing students' Self-directed learning competencies but underscores the lack of empirical research within the Vietnamese educational context. Future directions should focus on designing integrated chatbot-assisted learning models, identifying influencing factors, and assessing the effectiveness of AI-supported SDL in authentic higher education settings.
Keywords:
Self-Directed Learning, AI chatbot, personalized learning, higher education.
References
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[2] A. Wei, Students Review ChatGPT as Oxford Cautions Against its Use, https://cherwell.org/2023/02/11/chatgpt-caution-oxford/, 2023 (accessed on: July 28th, 2025).
[3] L. T. C. Tu, N. K. Nam, Building and Using AI Chatbots to Support Solving Problems in the Wave Chapter - 11th Grade High School Physics, Journal of Psychology- Education, Vol. 31, No. 4, 2025, pp. 228-232.
[4] M. J. Fisher, J. King, The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education Revisited: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Nurse Educ. Today, Vol. 30, No. 1, 2010, pp. 44-48.
[5] W. C. Brandt, Measuring Student Success Skills: A Review of the Literature on Self-Directed Learning, 21st Century Success Skills, National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment,
Https://Eric.Ed.Gov/?Id=Ed607782/,2020 (Accessed on: July 28th, 2025).
[6] M. S. Knowles, Self-Directed Learning: A Guide for Learners and Teachers, Association Press, 291 Broadway, New York, New York 10007, 1975.
[7] C. O. Houle, The Doctorate in Adult Education, Adult Education, Vol. 11, No. 3, 1961, pp. 131-134.
[8] J. W. Lounsbury, J. J. Levy, S. H. Park, L. W. Gibson, R. Smith, An Investigation of the Construct Validity of the Personality Trait of Self-Directed Learning, Learning and Individual Differences, Vol. 19, No. 4, 2009, pp. 411-418, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.Lindif.2009.03.001.
[9] B. P. Woolf, Building Intelligent Interactive Tutors: Student-Centered Strategies for Revolutionizing E-Learning, Elsevier & Morgan Kaufmann, 2010.
[10] N. T. Phuoc, Using Gpt Chat as a Support Tool in Teaching and Learning Media Industry, Hong Bang International University Science Journal, No. 25, 2023, pp. 95-100.
[11] D. T. T. Mai, C. V. Da, N. V. Hanh, The Use of Chatgpt in Teaching and Learning: A Systematic Review Through Swot Analysis Approach, Presented at The Frontiers in Education, Frontiers Media Sa, 2024, pp. 1328769.
[12] H. B. Essel, D. Vlachopoulos, A. Tachie-Menson, E. E. Johnson, P. K. Baah, The Impact of a Virtual Teaching Assistant (Chatbot) on Students’ Learning in Ghanaian Higher Education, International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, Vol. 19, No. 1, 2022, pp. 57.
[13] A. Folstad, P. Brandtzaeg, Chatbots and the New World of Hci, Interactions, Vol. 24, 2017, pp. 38-42, https://doi.org/10.1145/3085558.
[14] S. Hussain, O. Sianaki, N. Ababneh, A Survey on Conversational Agents/Chatbots Classification and Design Techniques, 2019, pp. 946-956, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15035-8_93.
[15] A. C. Graesser, P. Chipman, B. C. Haynes, A. Olney, Autotutor: An Intelligent Tutoring System With Mixed-Initiative Dialogue, Ieee Transactions On Education, Vol. 48, No. 4, 2005, pp. 612-618.
[16] T. T. Nguyen, A. D. Le, H. T. Hoang, T. Nguyen, Neu-Chatbot: Chatbot for Admission of National Economics University, Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 2, 2021, pp. 100036.
[17] H. B. Essel, D. Vlachopoulos, A. T. Menson, E. E. Johnson, P. K. Baah, The Impact of a Virtual Teaching Assistant (Chatbot) on Students’ Learning in Ghanaian Higher Education, Int J. Educ Technol High Educ, Vol. 19, No. 1, 2022, pp. 57, https://doi.org/10.1186/S41239-022-00362-6.
[18] J. Yin, T. T. Goh, B. Yang, Y. Xiaobin, Conversation Technology with Micro-Learning: The Impact of Chatbot-Based Learning on Students’ Learning Motivation and Performance, Journal of Educational Computing Research,
Vol. 59, No. 1, 2021, pp. 154-177, https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633120952067.
[19] M. Fidan, N. Gencel, Supporting the Instructional Videos with Chatbot and Peer Feedback Mechanisms in Online Learning: The Effects on Learning Performance and Intrinsic Motivation, Journal of Educational Computing Research, Vol. 60, No. 7, 2022, pp. 1716-1741, https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331221077901.
[20] M. Pan, K. Guo, C. Lai, Using Artificial Intelligence Chatbots to Support English-As-A-Foreign Language Students’ Self-Regulated Reading, Relc Journal, 2024, pp. 00336882241264030, https://doi.org/ 10.1177/00336882241264030.
[21] E. V. Cano, S. M. Andrés, E. L. Meneses, Chatbot to Improve Learning Punctuation in Spanish and to Enhance Open and Flexible Learning Environments, Int J. Educ Technol High Educ, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2021, pp. 33, https://doi.org/ 10.1186/S41239-021-00269-8.
[22] N. Stathakarou et al., Students’ Perceptions on Chatbots’ Potential and Design Characteristics in Healthcare Education, The Importance of Health Informatics in Public Health During a Pandemic, Ios Press, 2020, pp. 209-212, https://doi.org/ 10.3233/Shti200531.
[23] J. W. Han, J. Park, H. Lee, Analysis of the Effect of an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot Educational Program on Non-Face-To-Face Classes: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Bmc Med Educ, Vol. 22, No. 1, 2022, pp. 830, https://doi.org/ 10.1186/S12909-022-03898-3.
[24] T. Kamita, T. Ito, A. Matsumoto, T. Munakata, and T. Inoue, a Chatbot System for Mental Healthcare Based on Sat Counseling Method, Mobile Information Systems, Vol. 2019, No. 1, 2019, pp. 9517321,
https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9517321.
[25] J. Marquardson, Embracing Artificial Intelligence to Improve Self-Directed Learning: A Cybersecurity Classroom Study, Information Systems Education Journal, Vol. 22, No. 1, 2024, pp. 4-13.
[26] B. Li, C. J. Bonk, C. Wang, X. Kou, Reconceptualizing Self-Directed Learning in the Era of Generative AI: An Exploratory Analysis of Language Learning, Ieee Transactions on Learning Technologies, Vol. 17, 2024, pp. 1489-1503, https://doi.org/10.1109/Tlt.2024.3386098.
[27] G. Dizon, Chatgpt as a Tool for Self-Directed Foreign Language Learning, Innovation In Language Learning and Teaching, 2024, pp. 1-17, https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2024.2413406.
[28] W. Shalong et al., Enhancing Self-Directed Learning with Custom Gpt AI Facilitation Among Medical Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Medical Teacher, Vol. 47, No. 7, 2025, pp. 1126-1133,
https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159x.2024.2413023.
[29] X. Lin, Exploring the Role of Chatgpt as a Facilitator for Motivating Self-Directed Learning Among Adult Learners, Adult Learning, Vol. 35, No. 3, 2024, pp. 156-166, https://doi.org/10.1177/10451595231184928.
[30] D. T. T. Thuy, Research on Self-Directed Learning Measurement Tools, Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, Vol. 18, No. 8, 2022, pp. 1-7.
[31] D. T. T. Thuy, T. T. Thuy, T. V. Minh, Review of Self-Directed Learning Readiness Assessments Among Undergraduate Students in the World and Lessons Learnt for Vietnam, Vnu Journal of Science: Education Research, Vol. 37, No. 2, 2021, https://doi.org/10.25073/2588-1159/Vnuer.4524.
[32] D. T. T. Thuy, T. T. Thuy, Assessment of Self-Directed Learning Readiness Among Undergraduates of Teacher Education in Vietnam, The Iafor Conference on Educational Research & Innovation 2022 Official Conference Proceedings, 2022.
[33] D. T. T. Thuy, T. T. Thuy, Self-Directed Learning Model at Higher Education Institutions, Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, Vol. 44, No. 8, 2021, pp. 7-11.
[34] K. P. Thuy, N. C. Trung, Exploiting the Digital Environment to Teach Informatics in the Direction of Developing Self-Directed Learning Competency for High School Students in Vietnam, International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 13, No. 8, 2023, pp. 1192-1198.
[35] N. H. A. Thu, H. L. Thi, N. T. H. Nhi, V. T. Q. Chi, T. T. My, Factors Associated with Self-Directed Learning Among Undergraduate Nursing Students in Vietnam, Nurse Education in Practice, Vol. 78, 2024, pp. 104031,
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.Nepr.2024.104031.
[36] N. T. H. Anh, N. T. Canh, N. P. Anh, The Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Personalized Learning: A Case Study at a University of Education, Journal of Educational-Psychology, Vol. 4, No. 31, 2025, pp. 6-10.
[37] N. T. Giang, Using AI Tools to Improve Writing Skills for English Learners: Pros and Cons, Journal of Educational-Psychology, Vol. 4, No. 31, 2025, pp. 81-83.
[38] N. Diep, Using Artificial Intelligence Tool as a Lesson Planning Assistant for Teaching Probability and Statistics for University Lecturers, Journal of Educational-Psychology, Vol. 4, No. 31, 2025, pp. 207-210.
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