IMPACT OF VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS ON KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATES: A RAPID REVIEW

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide a rapid review of the impact of Virtual Assistants (Vas) on knowledge dissemination among undergraduate students. Several academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, were systematically searched to find relevant literature for this rapid review. The search employed controlled vocabularies along with carefully selected keywords to ensure comprehensive coverage of the topic. Key terms included “Virtual Assistants,” “Knowledge Dissemination,” “Educational Technology,” “Personalized Learning,” “Student Engagement,” and “E-Learning.” Using the PRISMA framework, the initial pool of 150 records was screened and narrowed down to a final sample of 7 landmark studies for thematic synthesis. The findings reveal that virtual assistants significantly enhance students’ access to educational resources by bypassing traditional technical roadblocks. When structured properly, interactive digital systems correlate with higher academic performance, though human oversight remains essential to protect deep critical processing skills. Additionally, personalized support from virtual assistants targets individual knowledge gaps to foster engagement, while the deployment process faces structural hurdles including user resistance, technical discrepancies, and data privacy concerns. It was concluded that virtual assistants play a crucial role in enhancing knowledge dissemination and student engagement in educational contexts when balanced with faculty support. It was recommended that educators integrate these technologies effectively through professional development to maximize pedagogical benefits while addressing potential challenges.