Artificial intelligence is increasingly present in our daily interactions. The major brands use it more and more every day for their customer service. The commercial use of chatbots is certainly a great asset for our societies, but artificial intelligence has many more significant advantages in a multitude of other sectors.
We presented these advantages with regard to the education sector in our previous article. This sector is undergoing significant changes in teaching methods. This is why the use of new technologies is a great asset in the revolution of our learning models. The autonomy fostered by chatbots will allow each student to become aware of their role in their own learning process.
However, teachers are faced with an abundance of new tools to integrate into their lessons and are not always sufficiently equipped or informed. That is why, in our project Mr. Winston we are creating various resources to support teachers in their acquisition of digital skills.
In Logopsycom we are currently designing our own chatbot example. The person responsible for designing this particular tutor has no previous training in artificial intelligence. This starting point is important to mention because we wanted to have the same experience as a teacher wishing to integrate artificial intelligence into their English lessons.
The first step was to explore the different platforms for chatbots creation. As most of these are intended for commercial use, we carried out some tests, mainly on Chatfuel and Botsify platforms before making our selection.
We have chosen to work on Chatfuel, which has the following advantages:
- The use of interconnected blocks;
- The integration of texts, buttons, images, videos and many other elements in these different blocks;
- A set of artificial intelligence rules to define one or more possible answers to written user commands;
- A live follow-up of the chatbot’s conversations with its users and the possibility of intervening in its place;
- The detection of written orders not understood by the chatbot and the possibility to add them to the artificial intelligence rules.
Chatfuel platform home screen
Example of elements that can be added to each block
Artificial intelligence rules
These few options are merely a start. The platform offers a multitude of possibilities that will be described more precisely in our chatbot design guide, which will be available for free as of autumn 2020.
The tests of our first chatbot will start in January 2020 in the training centres with which we work: LURS in Slovenia, Eurospeak in England, Civiform in Italy, and Learnmera in Finland. Logopsycom and YuzuPulse will also conduct a test phase in Belgium and France. These tests will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of our digital tutor and produce a complete and detailed guide so that teachers can in turn appropriate this technology and develop their own educational chatbot.
Here is an overview of possible interactions with the chatbot:
Try it for yourself !
- If you are level A2, go have a chat with Mr. Winston Beta
- If you are level B1, talk to Mrs. Winston Beta
Keep in touch with the progress of the project:
Visit the project’s website: www.mrwinstonchatbot.eu
Follow the project on Facebook: @MrWinstonchatbot
#MrWinstonchatbot #erasmusplus
In collaboration with: Yuzupulse, Civiform, Eurospeak, Learnmera & LJUDSKA UNIVERZA ROGAŠKA SLATINA