Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
Abstract Background Many psychology students face underemployment, despite having employable skills; however, this underemployment can be reduced by teaching undergraduate students the job-ready skills they earn in their bachelor's degree (Burning Glass Institute, 2024). The research team implemented a website named Eugene, a tool that shows career options for psychology majors tailored by knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they earn in their courses. The 2025 student assessment of Eugene indicated that 63% of respondents would use Eugene when considering post-graduation plans; however, when asked about the limitations of Eugene, over 40% responded that both the structure and instructions could be improved (Eugene Assessment Report, 2025). To implement these improvements, this proposal focuses on integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene to assist students in their future careers. Methods The project will use Microsoft Copilot to create a chatbot that gives students access to immediate feedback and clarification throughout the Eugene process. The team will feed KSAs into the AI chatbot, then test and score the response. If the score satisfies the team’s grading criteria, the process will continue to the next phase. If not, the team will go back to feeding it relevant knowledge. Then, the team will create a survey for students to rate the effectiveness and utility of the chatbot. Evaluation will also incorporate IP tracking to quantify website usage. Evaluation will be focused on students' perception of usability, efficiency, helpfulness, and satisfaction of Eugene to psychology undergraduate students. Results from the 2025 Eugene assessment will be compared to the new assessment to be sent out in spring 2026. Expected Outcomes & Implications Integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene is expected to improve usability and efficiency by helping undergraduate students better interpret Eugene’s instructions and output. We anticipate increased engagement, reflected in site analytics and survey responses, as students find the platform more responsive and tailored to their needs. Enhanced clarity given by the chatbot is likely to shift student perceptions, making Eugene a more trusted tool for career planning. If successful, the chatbot will become a permanent feature, strengthening Eugene’s role in bridging psychology undergraduates to meaningful employment. This initiative aligns with increasing student perception by assisting undergraduate students’ inquiries about KSAs and competencies, demonstrating how targeted technological enhancements can elevate student outcomes and increase job searchability.
Subject
Industrial and organizational psychology
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Included in
Integrating an AI Chatbot to Improve the Eugene Career Exploration Platform
Abstract Background Many psychology students face underemployment, despite having employable skills; however, this underemployment can be reduced by teaching undergraduate students the job-ready skills they earn in their bachelor's degree (Burning Glass Institute, 2024). The research team implemented a website named Eugene, a tool that shows career options for psychology majors tailored by knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) they earn in their courses. The 2025 student assessment of Eugene indicated that 63% of respondents would use Eugene when considering post-graduation plans; however, when asked about the limitations of Eugene, over 40% responded that both the structure and instructions could be improved (Eugene Assessment Report, 2025). To implement these improvements, this proposal focuses on integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene to assist students in their future careers. Methods The project will use Microsoft Copilot to create a chatbot that gives students access to immediate feedback and clarification throughout the Eugene process. The team will feed KSAs into the AI chatbot, then test and score the response. If the score satisfies the team’s grading criteria, the process will continue to the next phase. If not, the team will go back to feeding it relevant knowledge. Then, the team will create a survey for students to rate the effectiveness and utility of the chatbot. Evaluation will also incorporate IP tracking to quantify website usage. Evaluation will be focused on students' perception of usability, efficiency, helpfulness, and satisfaction of Eugene to psychology undergraduate students. Results from the 2025 Eugene assessment will be compared to the new assessment to be sent out in spring 2026. Expected Outcomes & Implications Integrating a chatbot assistant into Eugene is expected to improve usability and efficiency by helping undergraduate students better interpret Eugene’s instructions and output. We anticipate increased engagement, reflected in site analytics and survey responses, as students find the platform more responsive and tailored to their needs. Enhanced clarity given by the chatbot is likely to shift student perceptions, making Eugene a more trusted tool for career planning. If successful, the chatbot will become a permanent feature, strengthening Eugene’s role in bridging psychology undergraduates to meaningful employment. This initiative aligns with increasing student perception by assisting undergraduate students’ inquiries about KSAs and competencies, demonstrating how targeted technological enhancements can elevate student outcomes and increase job searchability.
Department
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dept. of Psychology