The Effectiveness of Keywords-Based Chatbots in Foreign Language Education
Title: The Effectiveness of Keywords-Based Chatbots in Foreign Language Education
Authors: Jiyou Jia
Abstract: This study investigates the application of a keywords-based chatbot system in the teaching of foreign languages, specifically focusing on its effectiveness in natural language dialogs and its suitability as a teaching assistant for language learners. The research utilized an online chatbot system that allowed users to engage in natural language conversations in English or German. Findings revealed that the dialogs between humans and the chatbot were generally short and repetitive, suggesting that the program did not fully understand the language or provide relevant responses. This led to the conclusion that this type of system is not suitable for assisting in foreign language learning.
Introduction: The study of the application of a keywords-based chatbot system on the teaching of foreign languages has been a topic of interest in the field of artificial intelligence. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using a chatbot as a language learning tool and to determine whether it could serve as a useful teaching assistant.
Experiment: The chatbot system was installed on a HTTP server in China and was equipped with relevant categories related to English and Chinese learning. Users could chat with the system in English or German using a natural language input method. The output was displayed as text on the screen and could also be spoken through a speech synthesis technology.
Findings: The study found that the number of users interacting with the chatbot system was 1256, with some users visiting the site multiple times. The visiting frequency of the users was difficult to define, as some users only visited the starting page and left, while others engaged in multiple chats within the same day.
Analysis of the chatbot's responses revealed that the dialogs between humans and the chatbot were generally short and repetitive. The chatbot's responses were mostly irrelevant to the topics and context of the conversations, indicating that the program did not fully understand the language.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, it was concluded that the keywords-based chatbot system was not effective in assisting in foreign language learning. The system's inability to understand and respond to natural language conversations made it unsuitable for use as a teaching assistant in language learning.
Link to Article: https://arxiv.org/abs/0310018v1 Authors: arXiv ID: 0310018v1