Techniques for using artificial intelligence to foster active learning

Educational chatbots or virtual assistants based on artificial intelligence enable learners to engage in interactive dialogue about learning content. During communication, the chatbot asks questions, encourages argumentation, and offers counterexamples or additional explanations. Learners are not passive recipients of information; they are expected to analyse information, formulate positions, assess the logic of arguments, and draw informed conclusions.

This type of activity is directly related to active learning because it requires cognitive engagement, critical thinking, reflection, and taking responsibility for one's own understanding of the content. In this context, artificial intelligence does not provide ready-made answers but encourages a structured thought process.

Educational chatbots can:

• Ask challenging and reflective questions
• Encourage comparison of different interpretations
• Prompt learners to defend their arguments
• Offer different perspectives and challenge assumptions
• Increase learner involvement and motivation

Chatbots (virtual assistants) do not replace teachers but expand the possibilities of guided dialogue in higher education.

Example of an artificial intelligence tool:

ChatGPT can be used as a cognitive assistant in learning to encourage analytical thinking, discussion, and reflection. By posing open-ended and challenging questions, it guides learners toward a deeper understanding of the topic.

Limitations:

• Requires clear instructions and supervision from the instructor to avoid imprecise or unfounded interpretations.
  The instructor must verify the credibility of the information.
  The instructor ultimately formulates the questions and criteria for discussion.

Example of application in higher education:

In a course on the ethics of artificial intelligence, students have a structured dialogue with a chatbot about the challenges of applying artificial intelligence systems in medical diagnostics. Each student must:

1. State an initial position.
2. Defend it against opposing arguments posed by the chatbot.
3. Write a short reflection on whether and how their position changed during the discussion.

In the seminar, students develop a discussion based on insights from their interaction with the chatbot, compare arguments, and critically evaluate sources of information.

Active learning is achieved through defending positions, evaluating information, and metacognitive reflection.

There are many other AI chatbots (AI virtual assistants) available on the market, such as Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Copilot, Deepseek, and Mistral_AI.

Image. A display of logos of leading AI chatbots (Source: Created using Gemini, 2025)