The effect of using an intelligent, multimodal chatbot for Korean language education

Abstract

The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and chatbot technologies are reshaping many disciplines, including language education. While many chatbots have been developed for teaching English, few have been used to teach Korean. In this study, an intelligent chatbot for Korean language education named Sayromi was developed and used by learners between 2022 and 2023 across three phases. In Phase 1, the researcher learned that the first version of the chatbot, Sayromi 1.0, was helpful for improving Korean language skills, but identified several ways to improve it, such as adjusting the voice speed and adding vocalization capability. In Phase 2, the researcher used an upgraded version, Sayromi 2.0, and confirmed the positive effect of the improvements. In Phase 3, the researcher added more content and used it in an intermediate-level Korean language course at a university in the United States, where the students were regularly given chatbot-based assignments. The result showed that Sayromi had multiple positive effects, such as enabling the learners to practice in a low-stress environment, helping them practice in multiple modes (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), and solidifying their understanding of Korean via real-life scenarios. It also shows that the chatbot’s effectiveness increased between Phase 1 and 3.