Exploring the impact of VoiceBots on multimedia programming education among Ghanaian university students
Authors: Essel Harry Barton , Vlachopoulos Dimitrios , Nunoo‐Mensah Henry , Amankwa John Opuni 
Published: July 2024

Conversational user interfaces (CUI), including voice interfaces, which allow users to converse with computers via voice, are gaining wide popularity. VoiceBots allow users to receive a response in real‐time, regardless of the communication device. VoiceBots have been explored in fields such as customer service to automate repetitive queries and help reduce redundant tasks; however, they have not been widely applied in the classroom. This study aimed to explore the effects of VoiceBot implementation on student learning. A pre‐test–post‐test design was implemented with 65 participating undergraduate students in multimedia programming who were randomly allocated to scenarios representing a 2 × 2 design (experimental and control cohorts). Data were collected using an academic achievement test and semi‐structured interviews, which allowed for a more in‐depth analysis of the students' experiences with the VoiceBot. The results showed that how the VoiceBot was applied positively influenced student learning in the experimental cohort. Moreover, the focus group data demonstrated that the VoiceBot can be a valuable assistant for students and could be easily replicated in other courses. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first to use VoiceBot to engage undergraduate students in Ghana, thus contributing to the growing literature stream on the development of VoiceBots to improve student learning experiences. This study elucidates the design process using a zero‐coding technique, which is considered a suitable approach for educational institutions with limited resources.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

Conversational user interfaces (CUIs), including voice interfaces, have gained popularity and are used to interact with computers through natural language.

VoiceBots have been utilised in various fields such as customer service to automate tasks and reduce redundancy. Instant messaging systems such as WhatsApp and Telegram have been used for communication in educational contexts.

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) have led to significant improvements in voice‐enabled CUIs (VoiceBots).

Existing studies indicate that chatbots affect students' motivation, learning experiences, and achievements; however, research on using VoiceBots for learning improvement is limited.

What this paper adds

A VoiceBot was introduced as an assistant to facilitate learning in a multimedia programming course.

The study used an experimental design with an experimental cohort using a WhatsApp group platform equipped with a zero‐coding VoiceBot and a control cohort without the bot.

The study found that students interacting with VoiceBot demonstrated better learning achievement than the control group.

The study also provides clear suggestions on integrating VoiceBots into educational institutions.

Implications for practice and/or policy

The study's findings suggest that VoiceBots can play a significant role in improving student learning achievements, especially in subjects such as multimedia programming.

Educational institutions could establish learning design and technology centres with subject matter experts to integrate VoiceBots effectively into the learning process.

Instructors must possess adequate technological proficiency to engage students with VoiceBots and targeted in‐service training may be necessary.

Future research can explore VoiceBot use across various academic domains and levels of education, analyse the impact of usage patterns on learning outcomes, and assess its long‐term effects on student engagement and motivation.