A Rule-Based Chatbot Offering Personalized Guidance in Computer Programming Education

In the field of education, the integration of Artificial Intelligence technologies, particularly chatbots, has transformed education by offering personalized guidance and support to learners. This paper introduces a well-designed rule-based chatbot system tailored for computer programming education, specifically Java. The architecture comprises essential components such as the User Input Handler, Rule Engine, Response Generator, and Knowledge Base, each carefully crafted to fulfill distinct functions. The chatbot is programmed with a wide range of rule categories, covering basic greetings and farewells to detailed explanations of syntax errors, logical guidance, variable declarations, loop structures, common pitfalls, and valuable resource recommendations. The study evaluated the chatbot’s efficacy in personalized guidance for computer programming education, engaging 50 undergraduate students. Feedback was collected through a structured questionnaire covering user satisfaction, query accuracy, response time, and personalized guidance. Results indicate high user satisfaction and proficiency in addressing programming queries promptly. Strengths include personalized guidance aligned with individual learning needs, while limitations in conversational depth and adaptability, alongside challenges like technical issues and user engagement, were noted. Suggestions for refinement are provided to enhance effectiveness and applicability in educational contexts.