ChatGPT Told Me to Say It: AI Chatbots and Class Participation Apprehension in University Students

The growing prevalence of AI chatbots in everyday life has prompted educators to explore their potential applications in promoting student success, including support for classroom engagement and communication. This exploratory study emerged from semester-long observations of class participation apprehensions in an introductory educational psychology course, examining how chatbots might scaffold students toward active and independent classroom contribution. Four students experiencing situational participation anxiety voluntarily participated in a pilot intervention using AI chatbots as virtual peer partners. Following comprehensive training in AI use and prompt design given to the entire class, participants employed systematic consultation frameworks for managing classroom discourse trepidations. Data collection involved regular instructor meetings documenting student experiences, challenges, and developmental trajectories through qualitative analysis emphasizing contextual interpretation. While students reported general satisfaction with chatbot integration, implementation revealed three critical complexities: temporal misalignment between AI consultation and real-time discussion dynamics; feedback inflation creating disconnects between AI reassurance and classroom reception; and unintended progression from supportive scaffolding toward technological dependency. Individual outcomes varied, with some students developing independence while others increased reliance on external validation. AI-assisted participation interventions demonstrate both promise and limitations, requiring careful consideration of classroom dynamics. Effective implementation necessitates rehearsal-based rather than validation-focused applications, emphasizing human mentorship and community-centered approaches that preserve educational autonomy while leveraging technological scaffolding strategically.