NUNS Research and Innovation Colloquium 2021

Institutional Chatbot for College programs and course-related

inquiries

Daniana D. Cajulis1, Carmela V. Nocido2, Alexia Nicole A. Paranes3 and

Anne Christine E. Santos4
1
Nazareth School of National University,
Daniana D. Cajulis: cajulisdd@students.nu-nazareth.edu.ph

Abstract: In this age of education-system, there are a lot of emerging undergraduate

programs and specialization to choose from which leads some students to become
unknowledgeable and have lack of information to different programs. The application of
a chatbot has a great help in providing information for course-related inquiries for
incoming college students within a short period of time. A one-on-one interview was
conducted with 15 Grade 12 STEM students from Nazareth School of National
University to gather information and insights regarding the design of an educational
chatbot. The result implies that the design of a chatbot correlates with the functionality of
the bot and the design features included: option between two languages--- English or
Filipin, quick career assessment, conversational, AI- Powered, and real-time interaction.
An educational chatbot for course-related inquiries could help incoming college students
to have a prior knowledge of different college programs offered by universities.

Keywords: course; program; college; inquiries; students; voice-based chatbot; chatbots;

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Making the right choice of course or degree will always be a big part for
students who will be taking and will be applying for college. It allows students to
explore more and focus on their desired field to take after college. Based on a
study, students under the STEM strand had a high level of readiness and
aspiration in pursuing college, (Cuy, N.A. and Salinas, E.M., 2019). However,
due to the excessive number of different courses from various programs offered
in universities. Students are uninformed about the emerging unfamiliar courses
and these unfamiliar courses are overlooked due to a lack of means of
information. To help address this problem a study proposes to develop an
Institutional chatbot for incoming college students.
This chatbot will provide students with information in each college
program and course, such as the description of a particular course; its duration; in
which universities offer; and career opportunities within a fraction of time, thus
in an informative manner.

1.1 Objectives of the study

1.1.1 General objective
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- To help incoming college students in choosing the right course

1.1.2 Specific objectives

- To identify the college programs and courses-related inquiries
- To design a chatbot based on the college programs and courses-related
inquiries.
- To develop an AI-powered chatbot that can receive and respond in the
form of text and speech.

1.2 Significance of the study

This study widens the knowledge of students towards different courses in
college. This institutional chatbot enables students to get information through AI
voice-chatbot, in which voice chatbot is convenient and faster to give feedback
unlike other chatbot. This will be a friendly way especially to people who are
having a hard timing explaining their questions through chat but easier to express
their words using speech. The study is designed to make a student more extensive
and clearer about the various particular courses in the college and to suit their
chosen program and course. It is also to make it easier for incoming college
students to choose their programs and courses.

1.4 Scope and delimitation of the study

This study focuses mainly on developing an institutional chatbot for
incoming college students based on their college programs and courses-related
inquiries. This chatbot provides information on each college course such as the
description of a particular course, possible jobs of that particular course, its
duration, and which universities offer it. Inquiries regarding college admission
and application will not be covered and it is limited to English and Filipino
language which will receive and respond in both speech and text.

2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Humans and computers established an interaction by a break-end
communication (Jolfaei M.A, 2019) using a chatbot in receiving and sending
information. Chatbots break the limitations in terms of time and processing of
data by providing outputs in a short period of time (Wijaya, H., Gunawan, W.,
Avrizal, R., & Arif, S. M., 2020). Aside from this, chatbots can become
multilingually capable in communication; it functions appropriately with
different languages including the Filipino language (Mahesh V., Milam A., and
Mina P., 2019).
There are different kinds of chatbots; however, selecting voice-based
chatbots as the main system for chatbots creates clear communication in
determining the question and getting the answer (Ahmed. I & Singh S., 2015).
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Voice-based chatbots let users communicate with their natural languages

(Akhilesh G.R, Guruprasad P.R, Praveen B.A, Rajendra M.H, Yogesh M.S,
2020), using a speech synthesizer enables all kinds of the accent of voice input to
process correctly (Imran, A., & Shikka, S., 2015) in which user can interact and
receive answers using natural language in a form of speech. This type of chatbot
can be used in various industries on providing information with the use of the
internet, in which a smart speaker that already has speech recognition can be used
to answer human questions (Bishu, K. ,2019). Moreover, chatbots are not only
for normal people but also for people with deficiencies such as visually impaired
people, voice-based bot helps them to have information for their academic-based
queries. (Kumar, M. N., Chandar, P. C. L., Prasad, A. V., & Sumangali, K.,
2016)
In university or college admission there are tons of workload from
students queries that lead to low satisfaction of students in university admission
response (Punith S, Chaitra B, Veeranna Kotagi, & Chethana R M., 2020), so it is
advantageous to have a chatbot as it effectively maintains objective and private
setting particularly on sensitive information (ZHOU, M., & YANG, H.,
2017), wherein the chatbot replies to the inquiries within a fraction of time with
an appropriate answer (Punith S, Chaitra B, Veeranna Kotagi, & Chethana R M.,
2020). Chatbots help universities to fulfill the student’s academic needs in terms
of college admission and information, services, and anything related to
academics (Ranoliya, B. R., Raghuwanshi, N., & Singh, S. ,2017). Based on
specific and discrete characteristics of each student using a test running and
interviewing will help students in choosing the right academic programs—
majors, degree programs, certificate programs. (Terra, E., Kou, C. H., Centeno,
P., & Oupaxay, B. , 2019)
These previous studies focused more on the process of admitting to
college or universities and the above studies are made for other countries.
Meanwhile, this project aims to develop a chatbot that is voice-based that will let
applicants elaborate their questions. Outputs for the questions will also have
voice-based to have a deep understanding and to make it clearer to understand.
The project will be a big help for students who have difficulty in choosing the
right course for them. The chatbot that is created will also provide students
information about different academic programs and uncommonly known degree
programs.

3. METHODOLOGY
3.1RESEARCH DESIGN
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The research that was conducted is a qualitative research utilizing the descriptive
research design through case study and mixed methods.
With the use of both questionnaire and interview questions, the researchers was
able to have a conclusive and in-depth examination of the phenomenon with the
aid of related literature and the respondents. The descriptive research design was
used as it is the perfect fit to achieve the objectives of the study. Furthermore, the
data gathering procedure was highly dependent on ways that are included under
the descriptive case study research design.
3.2 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT
An interview survey question was used consisting of ten item questions. The
questions were based on the characteristics and features of the educational
chatbot. The first succeeding questions was for the perspective of respondents to
a chatbot; the second questions was for the commonly inquiries that the
respondents usually asks. Each question was constructed open-ended for the
respondents to have the freedom to express their answers, give suggestions to
further improved the educational chatbot for course-related inquiries.
3.3 PARTICIPANTS AND VENUE
The population of this study are all Grade 12 students from any track and strand
in the Philippines.
Grade 12 students from Nazareth School of National University, who are also the
incoming college students were the target population.
The sample was drawn from a population of Grade 12 students in NSNU using
the purposive sampling, in which the choosing of sample is based on the purpose
of the study. 15 chosen Grade 12 students from Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand of NSNU were the selected
participants to use in this study. Thus, the researchers were able to select STEM
students because this strand is more technologically inclined.
The study was conducted thru online interview, specifically MS Teams. Beyond
the actual interview, a consent form was given which will indicate all the legal
and privacy policies, to assured that each person involved were secured.

Interview Questions
The following are the interview questions asked that determined the design of the
educational chatbot.
1. What are the factors you consider in choosing a college program?
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2. Does a quick career assessment could help you to decide on your college
path?
3. How does the demand of a certain profession affect your decision in
college?
4. What are the challenges you encountered in choosing a college course?
5. Have you used a chatbot before? Could you identify which type of
chatbot you prefer the most, is it speech-based chatbot or text-based
chatbot?
6. In between menu-based and conversational chatbot which do you find
functional in terms of gathering concise yet well-elaborated information?
7. What is the role of language in designing a chatbot that you wish to
prefer? Why?
8. Do you think that this innovation is highly needed by incoming freshmen
students? Why or why not?
9. What is your preference for a chatbot design, an AI- powered chatbot or
one that runs real-time and promotes human media-based interaction?
10. What other suggestions or improvements would you like to suggest to
the researchers regarding this innovation?

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section presents the results from the interview with 15 respondents from
Grade 12 STEM students following the qualitative methodology.
The factors and challenges identified in choosing a college course allow the
researchers to provide what contents should be answered by the bot. In Table 1,
the design content of a chatbot is capable in answering the following:
course description, course duration, which university is offering a particular
course, career opportunities, salary potential, tuition fee of a particular course,
and skills to have in a particular course.
Interview Questions Respondent’s Response
The factors that the respondents stated are, where their
skills and interests are aligned, what they are
1. What are the factors you consider in choosing a college program?
passionate for, where they will be happy, and the
salary potential.
The challenges are financial capability, intellectual
2. What are the challenges you encountered in choosing a college
capabilities, confusion because of many college course
course?
choices, and also the school or university availability.
8 or 53.33% said that the
3. How does the demand of a demand affects their thinking
7 or 46.67% said that the demand does not affect their
certain profession affect your about practicality and the job
decision for college, and it is more on personal choice.
decision in college? salary is important to the
respondents
4. Do you think that this innovation 15 or 100% of the respondents agreed that this innovation is highly needed because they
is highly needed by incoming do not need to roam on internet to find answers to their inquiries. And their questions will
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freshmen students? Why or why be answered quickly without the use of traditional exchanging of e-mails. It is also helpful
not? in identifying their strengths and weaknesses.
5. What other suggestions or
Respondents suggested that the chatbot should be design that answers in a nice way, easy
improvements would you like to
to understand and operate, and the chatbot should have in-depth questions not just the
suggest to the researchers
basic questions.
regarding this innovation?

In Table 2 includes the preferences of the respondents for the feature of a

chatbot. The following are the design features of the chatbot:
With regards to the style of the chatbot 73.33% preferred conversational
chatbot, it is functional and broad when it comes to providing information and
can directly ask questions like having a human-like conversation. In terms of the
delivery of the communication 80% of the respondents preferred text-based
chatbot for efficient and effective respond of the chatbot. Considering the
language 33.33% chose English language and 20% chose Filipino language,
while 46.67% preferred to have both English and Filipino language for the better
flow of communication. For the system of the bot 26.67% preferred AI-powered
and 40% preferred real time human media-based interaction, while 33.33%

Table 1: Factors and challenges of respondents in choosing a college course

preferred to the usage of both AI-powered bot and Real time human media-based
interaction. Strong percentage of 86.57% preferred to have quick career
assessment that could identify student’s strengths and weaknesses.
Based on this result, the institutional chatbot for course-related inquiries
consists of the following features: text-based chatbot, conversational chatbot, AI-
powered and real time interaction, have an option to choose the language both
English and Filipino language is available, and the chatbot is designed to have
quick career assessment.
Interview Questions Respondent’s Response
2 or 13.33% of the
1. Does a quick career assessment could 13 or 86.67% of the respondents agree that it
respondents
help you to decide on your college path? could help
disagree
2. Have you used a chatbot before? Could All of them have encountered a chatbot
you identify which type of chatbot you
prefer the most, is it speech-based chatbot 12 or 80% of the respondents preferred a 3 or 20% of the respondents
or text-based chatbot? text based chatbot preferred speech-based chatbot
3. In between menu-based and
11 or 73.33% of the 3 or 20% of the 1 or 6.67% of the
conversational chatbot which do you find
respondents preferred a respondents prefers respondents preferred
functional in terms of gathering concise
conversational chatbot menu-based chatbot both.
yet well-elaborated information?
4. What is the role of language in 5 or 33.33% of the respondents 3 or 20% of the 7 or 46.67% of the
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respondents preferred
respondents preferred
designing a chatbot? preferred English Language both English and
Filipino Language
Filipino language
5 or 33.33% of the
6 or 40% of the
5. What is your preference for a chatbot respondents preferred
4 or 26.67% of the respondents respondents preferred a
design, an AI- powered chatbot or one that both AI-powered and
preferred an AI-powered real time human
runs real-time and promotes human media- real time human
chatbot media-based
based interaction? media-based
interaction
interaction

4.1 Data Visualization

Table 2: Preference of the respondents

NUNS Research and Innovation Colloquium 2021

Above is a scenario-based situation on how the user could utilize the design
features of an institutional chatbot for course-related inquiries using a flowchart.

Figure 1: Scenario-based flowchart

NUNS Research and Innovation Colloquium 2021

5. CONCLUSIONS
Institutional Chatbot for college programs and course-related
inquiries is a chatbot that focuses more on to help incoming college
students in choosing the right course. Based on the data gathered on the
interview, the design of the chatbot is more on based on the convenience
of the students. The chatbot is a great help to students who are still
confused in their courses and to those who are not aware of the specific
courses offered, it helps students to facilitate the process of their inquiries.
It is easier to answer students' inquiries with this chatbot as it will serve as
assistance to them.
6. RECOMMENDATIONS

Some of the suggestions that was gathered about this project that
can be the best course of action. This can help other researchers to come
up with their projects or may have some ideas to make a research.
The first recommendation on this project is to have a Chatbot that
focuses more on the admission process of a certain school, not just only
for freshman, but also for transferee and repeaters. Due to our current
situation almost, everything is based on online forms. Creating this
innovative chatbot will be a big help to students especially to transferees
who know almost nothing about the school or the requirements of a certain
school they want to apply for. In developing such assistance is a big help,
because they no longer need to go directly to the school that they are
applying to.
Another suggestion is to have a Chatbot that has different choices
of language aside from English and Tagalog, such as Ilokano or Bisaya so
that the chatbot can be used for other regions in the Philippines not just in
Metro Manila. In building a chatbot, one of the most important things to
consider is the language, because the chatbot will be nonsense if the user
does not understand the content and outputs of the bot. It is better to have
a chatbot with different kinds of languages to make the chatbot more
effective and useful. Different languages that can be used in other regions
and in the Philippines that can help more people and use this.

7. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
NUNS Research and Innovation Colloquium 2021

First and foremost, the researchers would like to thank the Almighty God
for all that He has done to make this paper/ project happen. The researchers
would also like to offer their deepest gratitude to the Lord for His showers of
blessings, opportunities and abundant strength to this project.
The researchers would like to express our sincere gratitude to our team
leader Ms. Angelica H. Dela Cruz and our project manager Ms. Jasmine Engay
for the judicious comments that help this paper become more systematic and fact-
based. Their time that they lend to our paper for consultations and revisions is
precious and treasured.
The researchers would also like to extend their profound appreciation to
Research and Innovation Collaboration (RIC) speakers, Mr. Bernie S. Fabito, Dr.
Rachel Edita O. Roxas, Ms. Adelina Calub, Engr. Armil Monsura, Dr. Ria Liza
C. Canlas, Mr. Arnel Diego, and Engr. Joseph Dob Retumban for the discussion
on writing the different parts of this research paper and giving ideas on
presenting our paper.
The researchers would also want to extend our special gratitude to Mr.
Symon C. Emperador and Mr. Marius Hernani S. Garcia for guiding us on this
Research and Innovation Collaboration (RIC) since day one to make sure that we
are still on our goal.
Finally, the researchers is extremely grateful for having our parents and
family’s support for fulfilling our needs in making this research paper and also
for their prayers and unending encouragement.
The completion of this research paper could have not been possible
without the hard work of each member of this team ED-03.

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