African Educational Research Journal - Vol. 13(1) - Adopting AI-powered chatbots for academic performance: A qualitative model based on grounded theory approach

Oct 15, 2026

Artificial intelligence (AI) integration into higher education is expanding, and this study conceptualizes how higher vocational lecturers adopt AI-powered chatbots (AIPC) to improve academic performance. Semi-structured interviews with 30 lecturers across 10 Chinese higher vocational institutes generate qualitative data processed through grounded theory. Findings show adoption is driven by institutional support, pedagogical adaptability, and multi-tier social influence. Leadership commitment, policy incentives, structured training, and discipline differences shape perceived value, while industry and peer effects reinforce uptake.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages13

Reading Time33 min

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Abstract

Introduction

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 13(1), pp. 52-64, March 2025 DOI: 10. 30918/AERJ.131.25.006 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Adopting AI-powered chatbots for academic performance: A qualitative model based on grounded theory approach Fan Wang and Songyu Jiang* Rattanakosin International College of Creative Entrepreneurship, Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand. Accepted 28 February, 2025 | ABSTRACT
Artificial intelligence (AI) integration into higher education is expanding. This study aims to conceptualise the higher vocational lecturers' adoption of AI-powered chatbots (AIPC) for academic performance. This research employs semi-structured interviews to collect data from 30 lecturers across 10 Chinese higher vocational higher education institutes. And then, using grounded theory to process the data. The findings reveal that AI-powered chatbot adoption is shaped by institutional support, pedagogical adaptability, and social influence. Institutional support , including leadership commitment, policy incentives, and structured training, plays a decisive role. Pedagogical adaptability varies across disciplines, with humanities and management lecturers more receptive than engineering and technical instructors, who highlight AI’s limitations in hands-on training. Social influence in higher vocational education is multi-tiered, shaped not only by peers and students but also by institutional leadership and industry collaborations. Finally, this research develops a qualitative model to encourage adopting AI-powered chatbots for academic performance.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI), chatbots, higher vocational education, technology adoption, institutional support. | | --- | | *Corresponding [author. E-mail: jiang.song@rmutr.ac.th](author. E-mail: jiang.song@rmutr.ac.th). | INTRODUCTION Academic performance is of paramount importance to faculty members in higher education institutions, as it directly influences promotion, career advancement, and the production and impact of scholarly research. In the digital era, the enhancement of academic performance has transcended traditional approaches and increasingly relies on the support of intelligent technologies, particularly the application of artificial intelligence (AI) . In recent years, AI technology has been increasingly integrated into higher education, not only optimizing teaching methodologies but also providing substantial support in research management, data analysis, and academic writing. This integration enables faculty members to conduct academic activities more efficiently, thereby improving research output and teaching quality. With the continuous advancement of AI, its applications in higher education have expanded beyond basic automated assessment to include intelligent teaching support and academic research assistance across multiple domains. This transformation is reshaping the teaching and research landscape in higher education, positioning AI-driven academic tools as a critical means of enhancing academic performance (Abulibdeh et al. , 2024; Bearman et al. , 2023; Hooda et al. , 2022; Mahoney et al. , 2021; Sajja et al. , 2024) . In higher education, the integration of AI technology is Wang and Jiang 53 driving substantial transformations in teaching methodologies and academic management. AI-driven intelligent tutoring systems provide personalized learning recommendations, automated assessment tools improve grading efficiency, and AI-assisted text analysis tools support academic writing and research (Halkiopoulos and Gkintoni, 2024) . Additionally, AI-powered chatbots have gained increasing attention in recent years, being applied in classroom interactions, knowledge inquiry, automated teaching management, and research assistance (Chen et al. , 2023) . By leveraging AI chatbots, educators can more effectively organize course content, respond to student inquiries, and opt

FAQs

What is the purpose of the study on AI-powered chatbots?

The study aims to conceptualize how higher vocational lecturers adopt AI-powered chatbots (AIPC) to support academic performance.

How were the data collected and analyzed?

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 lecturers across 10 Chinese higher vocational higher education institutes, and grounded theory was used to process the qualitative data.

Which factors shape AI-powered chatbot adoption in higher vocational education?

Adoption is shaped by institutional support (leadership commitment, policy incentives, and structured training), pedagogical adaptability, and social influence involving peers, students, leadership, and industry collaborations.

Oct 15, 2026

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