What Are My Values? Customized AI-Chatbot in an Intercultural Communication Course

This study explores the effectiveness of a customized AI chatbot in supporting first-year students enrolled in a content-based intercultural communication course at a Sino-Foreign Cooperative University in China. Grounded in the human-in-the-loop (HITL) framework, the chatbot was designed to provide language- and content-specific guidance for a reflective oral presentation task. Through a mixed-methods approach by incorporating survey responses (n = 245), chatbot usage logs, and student interviews, the research investigates the chatbot's role in facilitating conceptual understanding, language development, and independent learning. Results indicate that students found the chatbot helpful in clarifying abstract concepts such as personal values and appreciated its immediacy, accessibility, and alignment with course materials. While students valued the tool as a convenient learning aid, they maintained that personal reflection and critical thinking remained essential for successful task completion. The findings highlight the pedagogical potential of AI and suggest implications for future AI adoption in higher education.