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The development of Messenger bots for teaching and learning and accounting students’ experience of the use thereof
Author(s) -
Schmulian Astrid,
Coetzee Stephen A.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
british journal of educational technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.79
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-8535
pISSN - 0007-1013
DOI - 10.1111/bjet.12723
Subject(s) - computer science , second messenger system , constructivist teaching methods , teaching method , psychology , mathematics education , medicine , receptor
This study reports on the development of two Messenger bots, designed to facilitate the learning of introductory and intermediate accounting. The Messenger bots were developed using a visual development environment that requires no coding knowledge. A thick description of the development of the Messenger bots is provided to encourage replication. It is submitted that instructors, rather than programmers, should take ownership of developing Messenger bots for teaching and learning. Preliminary exploration of the students’ satisfaction yielded positive results. Suggestions are made for specific applications of Messenger bots in teaching and learning and for further research exploring the use of Messenger bots in teaching and learning.Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Mobile instant messaging (MIM) applications (apps) have potential to facilitate effective social constructivist‐based collaborative learning. Students extensively use MIM apps. There is reluctance from instructors to engage in after hours MIM student consultation. Messenger bots can deliver content on demand, using inter alia text, images and video, and the effective use thereof in teaching and learning has not yet been explored. What this paper adds Instructors, without coding knowledge, are enabled to develop Messenger bots for teaching and learning. Social constructivist‐based suggestions for specific teaching and learning applications of Messenger bots are provided. Preliminary evidence suggests students positively experienced the use of Messenger bots in their learning. Implications for practice and/or policy Messenger bots may support instruction in large classes. Messenger bots may be suited to supplemental instruction rather than replacing face‐to‐face instruction. Specific teaching and learning applications of Messenger bots should be implemented and the effectiveness thereof explored.