Using a Custom Chatbot to Support Virtual Learners

Overview

Remote learning environments offer students greater flexibility and ownership, but they also require learners to set goals, monitor progress, and seek support independently. Without immediate access to teacher guidance, students benefit from embedded, just-in-time scaffolds that help them navigate coursework and deepen understanding. These supports align with The Learning Accelerator’s research on quality remote instruction, which identifies student agency and timely support as key drivers of success.

AI-powered chatbots can serve as real-time learning partners, offering course-aligned guidance within platforms students already use. These tools help students clarify concepts, apply feedback, and troubleshoot challenges while giving educators valuable insights into student needs, supporting instructional refinement and student autonomy.

Example From the School Teams AI Collaborative

Troy Valentine, a Social Studies Teacher at Denver Online High School, developed a custom AI chatbot through MagicSchool to provide online students with just-in-time, course-specific support. Integrated directly into the school’s learning management system (LMS), Schoology, the chatbot allowed students to engage with AI assistance while completing assignments, reducing the need to search for external resources that may not align with course objectives. This embedded support helped remove barriers to help-seeking and reinforced students’ self-direction and independence.

Valentine approached this by taking the following steps:

• Identifying Student Needs and Struggle Points: Recognizing that online students often struggle with structuring assignments, processing feedback, and seeking help, Valentine designed the chatbot to break down tasks, suggest improvements, and provide content-specific guidance aligned to coursework.

  

  
  

• Embedding the Chatbot Directly Into Coursework: To minimize cognitive lift and streamline access, the chatbot was placed directly within Schoology, ensuring students could get support in the flow of their learning without switching platforms or losing momentum. 

  

• Monitoring for Continuous Improvement: By reviewing chatbot transcripts and student interactions, Valentine identified common misconceptions and areas needing deeper support. He used these insights to refine chatbot prompts and adjust his instruction. Students were informed that transcripts would be saved and reviewed, and the school secured parental consent to maintain transparency and trust.

• Measuring Short- and Long-Term Impact: Valentine reported a 25-percentage-point increase in assignment scores when students used the chatbot. These early results informed ongoing refinements to ensure the tool supported immediate learning and long-term skill development.

• Scaling to Other Areas of Online Learning: Building on the success of the writing-focused chatbot, Valentine collaborated with colleagues to develop additional bots supporting student reflection and progress monitoring. He also led professional development to help other educators explore AI-based instructional supports in their own practice.

Apply This Strategy in Your Context

AI-powered chatbots can be a powerful tool for scaffolding student learning, providing real-time academic support, and enhancing self-direction and agency. By embedding structured AI tools within existing virtual learning environments, educators can help students navigate assignments more independently while also gaining valuable insights into their needs. The following steps outline how to design, implement, and refine a chatbot to support virtual learners.

Educators looking to implement AI feedback in their classrooms can take the following steps:

1. Identify Where Students Need Timely Support: Pinpoint areas where students frequently seek clarification or struggle to work independently, such as structuring essays, analyzing feedback, or engaging in self-directed study. Use student feedback, assignment trends, and engagement data to determine where an AI chatbot could provide meaningful, course-aligned assistance.

2. Select and Customize an AI Tool: Use platforms like MagicSchool, ChatGPT, or other AI chatbot builders to create a tool tailored to your instructional needs. Customize responses by uploading rubrics, key concepts, and assignment prompts, ensuring that AI-generated guidance aligns with your course objectives and expectations.

3. Embed the Chatbot Within Your LMS or Learning Environment: Ensure students can access the chatbot seamlessly within their LMS, such as Schoology, Canvas, or Google Classroom. Provide clear guidelines on when and how to use the chatbot, reinforcing that AI should support—not replace—student thinking and academic integrity.

4. Monitor Student Use and Adjust Based on Data: Regularly review chatbot transcripts and engagement patterns to assess how students are using the tool and where refinements are needed. Identify frequent misconceptions, gaps in understanding, or areas where AI responses need improvement, then adjust chatbot prompts and instructional materials accordingly.

By embedding AI-powered scaffolds into coursework, educators can enhance student independence, provide real-time academic support, and continuously refine instruction based on actionable dataBy embedding AI-powered scaffolds into coursework, educators can enhance student independence, provide real-time academic support, and continuously refine instruction based on actionable data.

This AI-enabled strategy was developed by a member of the School Teams AI Collaborative—a partnership between Leading Educators and The Learning Accelerator (TLA). The Collaborative was developed to bring together innovative educators from schools across the country to share ideas and discover effective ways to use AI in the classroom.