Chatbots in Education: A Dual Perspective on Innovation and Ethics

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, particularly through the use of chatbots, has garnered significant attention for its potential to revolutionize e-learning. Chatbots, powered by Natural Language Processing (NLP), offer a promising avenue for personalizing educational experiences and enhancing student engagement (Bradeško Anghelescu Tapalova Info, A et al., 2024). On the basis of such proliferation, this article proposes the use of a new Socratic method, applying the traditional Socratic method to interactions with chatbots to further enhance critical thinking and epistemological analysis in students. This method encourages learners to engage in critical dialogue with the chatbot, challenging the information provided. Despite concerns about chatbots' ability to accurately solve complex problems, such as in physics (Gregorcic et al., 2023), their "hallucinations" or errors can be leveraged as educational tools to stimulate critical thinking and identify misconceptions. Another important innovation in Digital Pedagogy is represented by sentiment analysis. Its deployment leads teachers or even chatbots to understand and respond to students' emotions, aiming to improve engagement and reduce dropout rates (Meroto, M.B. et al., 2024; Pant, H.V., et al., 2023). However, this technology raises ethical concerns related to privacy, data manipulation, and potential biases in decision-making systems (Singh et al., 2024; Susser et al., 2019; Burrell, 2016; Barocas et al., 2023). The ethical challenges associated with sentiment analysis in e-learning necessitate careful consideration and adherence to privacy and consent regulations. In conclusion, chatbots in e-learning offer significant potential for enhancing the educational experience through personalized and adaptive learning. However, the ethical implications of their use, particularly concerning sentiment analysis, must be addressed to ensure the protection of student data and the equitable treatment of all learners. Future research should continue to explore the optimization of digital interactions, considering the potential for educational innovation that chatbots bring to the academic industry (Denny et al., 2024).