{"id":62446,"date":"2024-05-16T20:36:47","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T20:36:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explore.local\/2024\/05\/16\/chatbots-for-learning\/"},"modified":"2025-05-01T19:49:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T19:49:43","slug":"chatbots-for-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/degreed.com\/experience\/blog\/chatbots-for-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Chatbots for Learning: Gateway, Guide, or Destination?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What\u2019s your go-to resource when you\u2019ve got a question? A few years ago, it most likely was Google. Today, ChatGPT is stealing eyeballs from traditional search engines. Why click through links when a chatbot can provide an instant answer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More and more, chatbots are the starting point for online activity. They\u2019re showing up almost everywhere: social apps, search engines, browsers, phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does this mean for learning technology? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gateways, Guides, and Destinations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let’s see where chatbots fit in the learning tech landscape by considering where learners go. Whether developing a new skill or discovering a hotel for an overnight trip, learning experiences are made up of gateways, guides, and destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A gateway<\/em> is where a learning journey begins, a guide<\/em> is the navigator that <\/em>directs the journey, and the destination<\/em> is the place learners ultimately end up.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, to book a trip for a vacation, you might start with a Google search (the gateway), compare options on Kayak (the guide), and then reserve a room at a hotel website (the destination).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can also similarly map out the resources employees use on their learning journeys. Many Degreed client\u2019s learning technology ecosystems are a combination of gateways, guides, and destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of our clients, a learner uses a gateway<\/strong> like an email, mobile app, browser extension, Microsoft Teams, or intranet, to start their journey. That gateway leads them to a learning guide, <\/strong>our <\/strong>LXP. <\/strong>Then the LXP leads to final destinations<\/strong> like an LMS, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and other content providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chatbots:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Of course, learners can\u2019t always start at the destination. This is why gateways are critical in learning technology. The gateway meets learners where they are, maximizing convenience while directing them somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The guide helps learners see and compare options (sometimes thousands!), provides curated and personalized recommendations, and manages access rights (authorizations, approvals, permissions, integrations) so learners can get to what they need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The path learners ultimately take depends on their use cases. And depending on the use case, a chatbot can serve as a gateway, guide, or destination. Let\u2019s break it down further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Workplace Learning: Chatbots for Learning Use Cases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Solving Specific, Work-related Problems<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Forgot how to write a function in Excel? Or looking for a reminder on how to update your CRM? You can engage an enterprise chatbot and get immediate answers. When it comes to questions and answers, brainstorming, content generation, or summarization, chatbots are likely your final destination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chatbots<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Completing Compliance Training<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common use case for learning at work is compliance training. I don\u2019t know about you, but I need to be notified about compliance training. (I\u2019m never going to proactively ask about it.) Along with those notifications, you also need to see the status of your assignments and be granted access to training materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Could <\/em>a chatbot serve as another gateway for compliance training? Technically, yes. Is it likely to be used this way? No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Learning<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It’s unlikely because most employees won’t remember to ask or can’t be bothered to ask. And the one thing a chatbot technology requires? Prompts. And this is a common limitations when companies use chatbots for learning: you have to ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Navigating a Career Change<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re a new employee or just got promoted, you don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know. In this unfamiliar situation, you need a guide. And a chatbot doesn’t always make the best guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be a good guide, the chatbot must know a lot about you, your company, and role. Even if you provide all that information, chatbot technology often struggles directing learners to external resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Degreed<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unlike a chatbot, a learning system like an LXP can help you navigate your complex transition. A learning system can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n