{"id":8974,"date":"2025-12-17T13:39:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T13:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/?p=8974"},"modified":"2026-01-27T15:14:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T15:14:17","slug":"spotlight-on-excellence-bringing-ai-conversations-into-management-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2025\/12\/17\/spotlight-on-excellence-bringing-ai-conversations-into-management-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight on Excellence: Bringing AI Conversations into Management Learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Senior Lecturer in Business Management, <strong>Deborah Gardner<\/strong>, has introduced an innovative approach to student engagement in her <em>Principles of Management<\/em> module by creating an AI persona called <strong>Business Bot<\/strong>. This Level 4 AI character is designed to spark meaningful dialogue and deepen understanding of core management concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is Business Bot?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Business Bot is powered by the <strong>AI Conversation tool<\/strong> within the AI Design Assistant in Blackboard. It initiates conversations with students by posing thought-provoking questions such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cWhat are some of the main responsibilities of managers?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is this approach effective?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The AI conversation tool allows questions to develop naturally, testing students\u2019 ability to engage in intelligent discourse. It promotes active participation and reflection, helping learners apply management theories to real-world scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Deborah explains:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>\u201cIt\u2019s not about right or wrong answers \u2013 it\u2019s about encouraging students to think deeply and engage with concepts in a way that feels interactive and relevant.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Student Feedback<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The response from students has been overwhelmingly positive. Here are some highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>\u201cThe conversation really made me think more deeply about the balance managers face when making decisions that not all staff agree with.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cIt questioned my answer and made me think deeper as to why I thought what I did.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cListening to different viewpoints helped me analyse management theories from multiple perspectives and understand their practical relevance.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>\u201cIt enabled me to have a free conversation about navigating conflicts within the workplace and improved my critical thinking.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Students also noted that the tool encouraged them to consider emotional intelligence, motivational strategies, and the complexities of managerial decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Expanding the Idea Across the Course<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Deborah has now extended the use of Business Bot into her Level 6 module, <em>Business Futures<\/em>, where students explore <strong>Social Capital<\/strong>. For this advanced level, she has increased the complexity of the bot\u2019s responses to encourage deeper critical thinking. The aim is to create continuity across the course so that Business Bot becomes a <strong>\u201ccourse companion\u201d<\/strong>\u2014a familiar presence that supports learning in multiple modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examples from Level 6 Student Work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some examples of how Level 6 students engaged with Business Bot in the <em>Business Futures<\/em> module. These illustrate how the tool supports advanced critical thinking and application of concepts like Social Capital:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Students explored the role of Social Capital in shaping organisational resilience and innovation, providing detailed case-based arguments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Feedback highlighted that the AI prompts encouraged deeper questioning and synthesis of multiple theoretical perspectives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The screenshot below is of a Business Bot conversation where the AI guides a student through what Social Capital means, using probing follow\u2011up questions about trust, shared values, and the risks of fragile alliances. The exchange highlights how the tool pushes learners toward deeper, more analytical thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"947\" height=\"702\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/11\/image-2.png\" alt=\"The image shows a screenshot of an AI\u2011driven conversation between a student and \u201cBusiness Bot\u201d inside Blackboard Ultra. The dialogue explores the concept of Social Capital through a sequence of back\u2011and\u2011forth text bubbles. Business Bot asks probing questions about trust, shared values, and the challenges of building social capital across groups with differing viewpoints. The student\u2019s responses appear in coloured message boxes, offering definitions, examples of \u201cbridging social capital,\u201d and reflections on the risks of temporary alliances. The overall screenshot demonstrates how the AI prompts deeper critical thinking and supports learning by guiding students through a structured, reflective discussion.\" class=\"wp-image-8977\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/11\/image-2.png 947w, https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/11\/image-2-300x222.png 300w, https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/11\/image-2-768x569.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 947px) 100vw, 947px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Customising the AI Persona<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most powerful features of the AI Conversation tool is the ability to set the <strong>personality<\/strong> of the bot. Deborah shares her approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For Level 4 students, she used the <strong>\u201cTesting\u201d<\/strong> personality to check understanding and prompt reflection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For Level 6 students, she switched to <strong>\u201cCritical\u201d<\/strong> to encourage analysis and evaluation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This flexibility allows educators to tailor the AI experience to the learning outcomes of each module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Want to Try This in Your Module?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Access your module site.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigate to <strong>Create<\/strong> in the Content area.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select <strong>AI Conversation<\/strong> and create a persona or topic-based conversation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add your initial question and configure follow-up prompts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publish the activity and encourage students to engage.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Start with open-ended questions to promote deeper thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019d like support in exploring how this tool can enhance your students\u2019 learning, <a href=\"https:\/\/libguides.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/staff\/nile-help\/who-is-my-learning-technologist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact your Learning Technologist<\/a> to schedule a meeting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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.<\/p>\n<p> What is Business Bot? <\/p>\n<p>Business Bot is powered [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[385,39,135,269],"class_list":["post-8974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-learntech-news","tag-ai-design-assistant","tag-blackboard","tag-nile","tag-ultra"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Spotlight on Excellence: Bringing AI Conversations into Management Learning - Learning Technology Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.northampton.ac.uk\/learntech\/2025\/12\/17\/spotlight-on-excellence-bringing-ai-conversations-into-management-learning\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spotlight on Excellence: Bringing AI Conversations into Management Learning - Learning Technology Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"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. 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