Senior Lecturer in Business Management, Deborah Gardner, has introduced an innovative approach to student engagement in her Principles of Management module by creating an AI persona called Business Bot. This Level 4 AI character is designed to spark meaningful dialogue and deepen understanding of core management concepts.
What is Business Bot?
Business Bot is powered by the AI Conversation tool within the AI Design Assistant in Blackboard. It initiates conversations with students by posing thought-provoking questions such as:
“What are some of the main responsibilities of managers?”
From there, the discussion evolves dynamically, encouraging learners to explore ideas beyond surface-level answers. Unlike a quiz or a test, this is a digital conversation that challenges students to think critically and articulate their reasoning.
Why is this approach effective?
The AI conversation tool allows questions to develop naturally, testing students’ ability to engage in intelligent discourse. It promotes active participation and reflection, helping learners apply management theories to real-world scenarios.
Deborah explains:
“It’s not about right or wrong answers – it’s about encouraging students to think deeply and engage with concepts in a way that feels interactive and relevant.”
Student Feedback
The response from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Here are some highlights:
- “The conversation really made me think more deeply about the balance managers face when making decisions that not all staff agree with.”
- “It questioned my answer and made me think deeper as to why I thought what I did.”
- “Listening to different viewpoints helped me analyse management theories from multiple perspectives and understand their practical relevance.”
- “It enabled me to have a free conversation about navigating conflicts within the workplace and improved my critical thinking.”
Students also noted that the tool encouraged them to consider emotional intelligence, motivational strategies, and the complexities of managerial decision-making.
Expanding the Idea Across the Course
Deborah has now extended the use of Business Bot into her Level 6 module, Business Futures, where students explore Social Capital. For this advanced level, she has increased the complexity of the bot’s responses to encourage deeper critical thinking. The aim is to create continuity across the course so that Business Bot becomes a “course companion”—a familiar presence that supports learning in multiple modules.
Examples from Level 6 Student Work
Here are some examples of how Level 6 students engaged with Business Bot in the Business Futures module. These illustrate how the tool supports advanced critical thinking and application of concepts like Social Capital:
- Students explored the role of Social Capital in shaping organizational resilience and innovation, providing detailed case-based arguments.
- Feedback highlighted that the AI prompts encouraged deeper questioning and synthesis of multiple theoretical perspectives.
Customising the AI Persona
One of the most powerful features of the AI Conversation tool is the ability to set the personality of the bot. Deborah shares her approach:
- For Level 4 students, she used the “Testing” personality to check understanding and prompt reflection.
- For Level 6 students, she switched to “Critical” to encourage analysis and evaluation.
This flexibility allows educators to tailor the AI experience to the learning outcomes of each module.
Want to Try This in Your Module?
Here’s how to get started:
- Access your module site.
- Navigate to Create in the Content area.
- Select AI Conversation and create a persona or topic-based conversation.
- Add your initial question and configure follow-up prompts.
- Publish the activity and encourage students to engage.
Tip: Start with open-ended questions to promote deeper thinking.
If you’d like support in exploring how this tool can enhance your students’ learning, contact your Learning Technologist to schedule a meeting.
