Enhancing Online Learning Experiences: A Systematic Review on Integrating GenAI Chatbots into the Community of Inquiry Framework

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework has been used for nearly two decades to provide educators with a way to design and evaluate their online courses. Integrating generative AI (GenAI) chatbots with the CoI framework will address the current lack of clear guidelines for incorporating GenAI technology in online education. This gap is significant as GenAI in education is rapidly growing, with students showing favorable attitudes towards GenAI integration. To explore this, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted, analyzing recent studies on the use of GenAI chatbots as intelligent tutoring systems within the CoI framework. The findings revealed that GenAI chatbots enhance cognitive presence through personalized learning paths and real-time feedback, improve social presence by fostering community and continuous support, and strengthen teaching presence by automating administrative tasks and dynamic instructional strategies. These enhancements suggest that integrating GenAI chatbots can significantly enrich online learning environments, making education more dynamic, personalized, and effective. The study concludes that a seamless integration of GenAI technologies within the CoI framework can optimize digital learning ecosystems, and future research should focus on long-term impacts and ethical guidelines to ensure responsible GenAI use in education.