Date of Award

Fall 9-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems (PhDIS)

First Advisor

Cherie Noteboom

Second Advisor

David Zeng

Third Advisor

Kevin Smith

Abstract

Chatbots are an emerging technology that stimulate conversations with humans often using generative artificial intelligence (AI). This technology is becoming increasingly relevant, particularly in the field in school counseling. For school counselors facing growing demands, utilizing data to demonstrate the effectiveness of their services on student outcomes is crucial to secure recent position increases. Historically, school counselors have struggled with the expectation to use data and utilize available technology. AI chatbots have the potential to help school counselors, a traditionally non-technical audience, efficiently evaluate data, create goals, and explore potential interventions to accomplish those goals.

To support school counselors in the data-driven decision-making process and explore the various factors and design principles that influence satisfaction and continuance intention in a non-technical field, this research employs a Design Science Research Methodology to design and evaluate an AI chatbot grounded in principles of the Information Gap Theory and the Post-Acceptance Model of Information Systems Continuance. The proposed artifact is demonstrated by implementing a single case study to evaluate a school counselor’s satisfaction and continuance intention after using the chatbot. The findings of the quantitative analysis reveal curiosity has a significant influence on perceived usefulness of the AI chatbot and perceived usefulness is the greatest predictor of continuance intention. Curiosity was stimulated in users by revealing gaps in their current knowledge, increasing awareness of the system’s potential benefits, and making the interaction pleasurable. Results of the qualitative analysis reveal for an AI chatbot to be adopted by school counselors, it must optimize their workload, establish clear expectations, encourage ongoing interaction by asking curiosity-inducing questions, use social comparison to gain support, and sustain user engagement by meeting user’s needs using open-ended closure. This research not only contributes to the field of Information Systems by exploring the influence of curiosity on user satisfaction and continuance intentions using a DSRM, but also assists designers and developers by identifying design principles and considerations of an AI chatbot. Additionally, the study contributes to school counseling by providing a technology that supports school counselors in data-driven decision-making, improves efficiency, and enhances services provided to students, all of which can reinforce the school counselor’s role in the education system.

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