Design and Evaluation of a Gamified Generative AI Chatbot for Canvas LMS Courses

In the post-COVID era, student engagement and performance in traditional courses have declined, presenting significant challenges for educators and institutions. Addressing this issue necessitates innovative tools that enhance student participation and allow for customized instructional support. Notably, students underutilize learning management systems (LMS), highlighting the need for improved interfaces. Generative AI chatbots, known for their adaptability and real-time response capabilities, emerge as pivotal in fostering learning and engagement. Despite their potential, reluctance to adopt chatbots persists among students. Addressing these hurdles, we developed SmartPal, a generative AI chatbot integrated with gamification to bolster learning support. SmartPal capitalizes on psychological gamification theories, offering a personalized, context-aware service by syncing with Canvas LMS. This enables it to provide not just answers but also proactive engagement prompts like reminders and feedback. Incorporating gamification enhances the interactive aspect, motivating students to engage with course content and technology engagingly. Additionally, SmartPal equips instructors with insights into students’ progress and engagement, facilitating early identification of and intervention in learning obstacles. Pilot implementations across various undergraduate courses have demonstrated SmartPal’s effectiveness in enhancing student engagement and performance.