NGUYEN THI THU NGAN APPLICATION OF CHATBOT IN EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES. APPLICATION OF CHATBOT IN EDUACTION A CASE STUDY OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI THU NGAN BACHELOR IN MARKETING VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI BACHELOR OF BUSINESS (MARKETING) HELP UNIVERSITY MARCH 2025 MARCH 2025 APPLICATION OF CHATBOT IN EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES. BY NGUYEN THI THU NGAN Graduation Project Submitted to Vietnam National University, Hanoi – International School in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Marketing and Department of Business Studies, HELP University, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Business (Marketing) Hons MARCH 2025 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Dao Cong Tuan for his invaluable guidance and support throughout the course of this research.
His deep expertise, thoughtful feedback, and unwavering encouragement played a crucial role in shaping the direction and quality of this study on chatbot adoption in higher education. His mentorship not only enhanced the academic rigor of this project but also inspired me with the confidence to navigate complex challenges and explore innovative solutions. I am also deeply thankful for the support of my friends and family, who participated in the survey and contributed their honest insights. Their willingness to share experiences and perspectives provided essential data for the study, enriching the analysis and deepening the understanding of students’ attitudes toward AI-driven educational tools.
This research marks an important milestone in my academic journey, made possible by the guidance, participation, and encouragement of many. I am truly grateful to Dr. Dao Cong Tuan for his mentorship and to everyone who supported and accompanied me throughout this process. Your contributions have been instrumental in making this an insightful and rewarding experience.
Hanoi, 2025 Sincerely, Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan BUSINESS DEPARTMENT BACHELOR OF BUSINESS MGT400 GRADUATION PROJECT DECLARATION FORM Name: Nguyen Thi Thu Ngan HELP Student ID: E2200031 VNU Student ID: 20070034 Programme of Studies: Bachelor of Business (Marketing) Hons Title of Project/Dissertation: Application of Chatbot in Education: A Case Study of Private Universities. Name of Supervisor(s): Dr. Dao Cong Tuan Declaration: In accordance with the appropriate regulations, I hereby submit the above Graduation Project forexamination and I declare that: (i) I have read and understood the sections on Plagiarism found in the University’s “GeneralInformation to Students” Handbook and certify that the Graduation Project embodies the results of my own work. (ii) I have adhered to the ‘Harvard system of referencing’ or a system acceptable as per “The Referencing Guide” for referencing, quotations and citations in my Graduation Project.
Eachcontribution to, and quotation in my Graduation Project from the work of other people has been attributed and has been cited and referenced. (iii) I have not allowed and will not allow anyone to copy my work with the intention of passingit off as his or her own work. (iv)I am aware that I may have to forfeit the degree in the event that plagiarism has beendetected after the award. (vi)I am aware that my Graduation Project may be used by my supervisor(s) and/or HELPUniversity for further research or any collaborative work, and under no circumstances whatsoever would claim any rights to the said work.
Signature: Date: LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AI Artificial Intelligence ACE Acceptance of Chatbot for Education BI Behavioral Intention NLP Natural language processing SN Subjective Norms PA Perceived Autonomy PEU Perceived Ease of Use PU Perceived Usefulness TAM Technology Acceptance Model TRA Theory of Reasoned Action SDT Self-Determination Theory LIST OF TABLES Table Content Page Table 3.1 The 5-point Likert scale 22 Table 4.1 Demographic statistics 24 Table 4.2 Descriptive statistics 27 Table 4.3 Item Loadings of Constructs 29 Table 4.4 The construct reliability 31 Table 4.5 The construction validity 32 Table 4.6 The construction of discriminant validity 33 Table 4.7 VIFs of exogenous variables 34 Table 4.8 Model fitness score 36 Table 4.9 Hypothesis Testing Results 37 Table 4.10 The results of the mediating effects 39 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Content Page Figure 1.1 Research flowchart 6 Figure 2.1 Technology Acceptance Model 10 Figure 2.2 Conceptual Framework 17 Figure 4.1 Measurement Model 28 Figure 4.2 The structural model for testing hypotheses 35 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. Scope of Study .6 Significance of Study. 6 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .1 Background of Study .1 Technology Acceptance Model .2 Theory of Reasoned Action .3 Self-Determination Theory .3 Acceptance of Chatbot for Education .3 Perceived Ease of Use .6 The mediation role of Behavioral Intention. 15 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .2 Sampling and data collection .6 Data Analysis Technique .22 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS .1 Characteristics of Respondents .2 Descriptive Statistics of Factors .2 Evaluation of Measurement Model .1 Measurement Model: First-order constructs level .2 Assessing reliability of the constructions .3 Assessing the validity of the construction .3 Structural Model Assessment for Hypothesis Testing .1 Detecting Multi-collinearity .2 Analysis of R-square of constructs .37 CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION .4 Limitations and future research.
49 ABSTRACT Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a major concern in many fields due to its ability to automate and optimize processes. Chatbots, an application of AI, have been widely used in many industries, especially in the fields of customer service and e-commerce. However, in higher education, chatbots have not been fully exploited, despite their potential to support students and improve their learning experience. Given this reality, this study focuses on exploring another aspect of chatbots in education, delving into the key elements shaping the acceptance and implementation of AI-powered chatbots in the university environment, to offer a more in-depth and holistic perspective of the role and effectiveness of this technology in supporting students.
Using a quantitative research method, survey data were collected from 200 students at private universities in Hanoi, Vietnam. The purposeful selection of a demographically diverse sample was undertaken to ensure the credibility of the study and deliver an all-encompassing understanding of how technology is embraced by users. The study’s outcomes hold actionable value for higher education institutions and tech innovators. While providing insightful observations, the focus of the study and reliance on self-reported data suggest opportunities for further exploration and future research to expand on these initial findings.1 Problem Statement Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly transformed various industries, with education being a notable beneficiary.
Among AI-driven innovations, chatbots have emerged as prominent tools facilitating human-computer interaction, offering increased accessibility, efficiency, and personalized user experiences. Adamopoulou and Moussiades (2020) highlight that chatbots enable natural language communication, streamline interactions, and can reduce operational costs by up to 30% (Adam et al. The release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022 further accelerated the adoption of chatbots, demonstrating machines' ability to comprehend and mimic complex human language nuances (Marr, 2023). By February 2025, ChatGPT had amassed over 400 million weekly active users, underscoring the rapid integration of AI technologies across sectors, including education (Carino, 2025).
In the educational context, AI-driven technologies offer promising avenues to enhance student engagement and institutional efficiency. Department of Education (2023) emphasizes AI's potential to revolutionize education through personalized learning experiences, automation of administrative tasks, and provision of on-demand support. Students frequently seek both academic and non-academic information, such as course registration, financial assistance, library access, career counseling, and exam-related inquiries. While many universities have implemented online portals, learning management systems, and FAQ platforms, students often encounter difficulties navigating these resources, leading to repeated inquiries with lecturers and administrative staff, thereby increasing workload and reducing efficiency.
AI chatbots seem like a way to solve this by offering instant, accurate, and user-friendly support, allowing academic staff to focus on more complex professional tasks. These intelligent virtual assistants can offer 24/7 assistance, addressing students' queries promptly and supporting continuous learning outside traditional classroom settings (Lee, 2023). While previous studies have acknowledged the advantages of AI chatbots in education, such as cost-effectiveness and the creation of accessible, personalized learning environments (Oydna et al., 2024; Demyanova, 2024), much of the existing 2 research has predominantly concentrated on technical attributes. For example, Lin and Yu (2024) explored perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) but overlooked broader cognitive and behavioral constructs.
Similarly, Boubker (2024) addressed technological competence without linking it to broader adoption behaviors. Overall, these studies primarily emphasized system functionalities, usability, and technological capabilities while neglecting the wider cognitive, motivational, behavioral, and contextual factors that shape chatbot adoption in educational settings. Therefore, this study aims to identify the key factors influencing students' effective utilization of AI chatbots in higher education, with a specific focus on private universities. Private institutions often operate under distinct financial models, governance structures, and student expectations compared to public universities, potentially affecting the adoption and efficacy of AI technologies.
By integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with elements from the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the research examines how perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), subjective norms (SN), and perceived autonomy (PA) impact students' behavioral intentions and actual adoption of AI chatbots. This approach offers a comprehensive framework that encapsulates behavioral, perceptual, and contextual dimensions, addressing gaps in existing literature that often overlook these aspects. The study's findings aim to provide actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and technology developers to enhance the design and implementation of AI chatbots in educational settings, particularly within the unique context of private higher education institutions.2 Research Objective(s) RO: This study evaluates the role of chatbots, therefore offering a thorough knowledge of the main factors influencing their acceptance in higher education, with a particular focus on the impact of perceived autonomy and subjective norms. It also seeks to examine how behavioral intention mediates the relationship between these factors and the actual acceptance of chatbot technology.3 Research Question(s) RQ1: What factors influence the intention to use chatbots in higher education? RQ2: What is the relationship between behavioral intention and the acceptance of chatbots in higher education? 3 RQ3: How do perceived autonomy and subjective norm influence the acceptance of chatbots in higher education? 1.
Scope of Study This study focuses on assessing the integration of chatbots in private higher education institutions, with a focus on identifying key factors influencing student acceptance and use of AI-enabled chatbots. Analyzing these aspects provides valuable insights for universities and technology developers to help them refine chatbot design, functionality, and user experience to better suit student needs, thereby ensuring that AI-enabled systems are effectively integrated into higher education environments to enhance accessibility, efficiency, and overall student engagement.5 Methodology The research utilized a survey questionnaire to examine the determinants affecting students' acceptance and utilization of chatbots in private higher education institutions in Hanoi, Vietnam. The gathered data were examined using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with Smart-PLS 4. This approach allowed for a structured evaluation of both the measurement model assessing the reliability and validity of the constructs and the structural model, which tested the proposed hypotheses regarding the effects of different variables on student behavior.
The use of Smart-PLS 4 enabled effective and rigorous data analysis.6 Significance of Study This study is significant in several ways. It focuses on the student and how the use of chatbots can be leveraged to improve the learning process. Through the determination of influencing factors, the study allows the student to make knowledgeable choices regarding the integration of chatbots into the learning process. Tactical utilization of the chatbots enhances student interaction with learning institutions, expedites access to learning resources, and offers immediate academic assistance.
Secondly, the research offers educational institutions useful insights into the implementation and optimization of chatbot technology. As there are increasingly more digital tools being introduced into education, the determinants that motivate student acceptance and adoption of chatbots need to be understood. These results help in the planning of strategies that enhance the interaction and functionality of the 4 chatbots and therefore meet the needs of the students. As the functionality of the chatbots evolves, the institutions have the potential to create a better and interactive learning environment and automate administrative processes.