Student experiences with an LLM- and RAG-based chatbot for institutional services in Open and Distance Education: a qualitative study

This study examines Open and Distance Education students’ experiences of institutional services delivered through an LLM- and RAG-based chatbot, focusing on satisfaction, trust, institutional commitment, and reuse intention. At Faculty of Open and Distance Education, Atatürk University, 25,463 service sessions were recorded in December 2025. Of these, 25,351 entered the chatbot pathway and were recorded as resolved, while 112 directly accessed live support. Cross-channel verification identified 349 students whose qualifying service episodes remained within the chatbot-mediated journey for the same issue. After random ordering, the 24th volunteer was reached on the 52nd sequential recruitment call. Of 24 completed interviews, 15 remained after transcript-level screening. Thematic analysis generated four higher-order themes. Service value depended on accurate, actionable guidance supporting resolution. Satisfaction and trust developed through successful outcomes and verification, while irrelevant responses generated caution. Complex, context-dependent, and multi-step requests exposed the limits of automation and increased the relevance of in-interface human handoff. Reuse intention depended on prior outcomes and anticipated problem complexity, whereas institutional commitment reflected broader educational and service experiences. The findings emphasise context-sensitive guidance, continuity, and appropriately integrated human support.