Identify mediators of HelpCoach’s knowledge-retention benefit

Determine whether metacognitive reflection during question formulation and students’ constructive use of chatbot responses mediate the relationship between HelpCoach and knowledge retention.

Background

HelpCoach increased both students’ question specificity and their knowledge retention, but the study did not establish that greater specificity directly caused the retention benefit. The proportion of targeted chatbot responses also did not significantly account for the effect. The authors therefore identify metacognitive reflection and students’ use of chatbot responses as possible explanatory mechanisms requiring direct examination.