Conversational Agents and Learning Outcomes An Experimental Investigation
- Slides: 15
Conversational Agents and Learning Outcomes: An Experimental Investigation Bob Heller Mike Proctor Athabasca University Research supported by Mission Critical Research Grant - Athabasca University EDMEDIA, Vancouver, 2007
Conversational agents as pedagogical agents • Auto. Tutor - conversational intelligent tutor system (see Graesser, Wiemer-Hastings, Kreuz, & Tutoring Research Group 1999) • Embodied Conversational Agents - primacy of conversation (Cassells et al) • Pedagogical Agent research juncture of HCI and educational psychology (Hadwin, Winne, & Nesbit, 2005)
The Persona Effect Pedagogical agents have the potential to increase the bandwidth of communication between students and computers and the computer’s ability to engage and motivate students (Johnson, Rickel, and Lester, 2000) The Media Equation Reeves & Nass
Evidence for Persona Effect
Objectives of the Present Study Learning Outcome Historical Figure replication
Method Participants Materials Procedure
Logical Interface
Chat Interface
Text Interface Evaluation Chat Interface n=28 n=31 M How enjoyable was this activity? How engaging was this activity How easy was this activity? Would you recommend this activity to others? Overall, how would you rate this activity? How useful is this interface for learning information about Jean Piaget? How useful is this interface for remembering information about Jean Piaget? M SD t 3. 43 3. 11 3. 68 3. 43 2. 87 3. 19 2. 97 2. 87 2. 32* 0. 79 0. 32 2. 54* 2. 23* 4. 22 3. 42 2. 80** 3. 53 3. 00 2. 49* Table 1: Interface evaluation ratings based on a 5 -point scale where higher numbers reflect positive experiences. Note: * -p <. 05 ; ** - p <. 01
Text Chat p 46. 9% 83. 8% 67. 4% Non-exposed Content 26. 8% 38. 3% 56. 8% 33. 0% ns <. 001 <. 05 ns Pretest Content Exposure Exposed Content
Agent Evaluation Freudbot How enjoyable was this activity? How engaging was this activity? Would you recommend this activity to others? Overall, how would you rate this activity? How useful is this interface for learning information about Freud/Piaget? n=53 2. 92 3. 08 Piagetbot n=31 p 2. 87 ns 3. 19 ns 2. 83 3. 02 2. 97 2. 87 ns ns 2. 96 3. 42 ns Table 2: Ratings based on a 5 -point scale where higher numbers reflect positive experiences. Note: All t’s were non-significant
Discussion - the text-based interface was rated more positively and associated with better learning outcomes Limitations - orienting task biased towards text-based interface - degree of animation
Freudbot AIML Narrative format Speech Act theory
Freudbot findings
Conversational agents as pedagogical agents
- Intersection and union of events
- Experimental vs non experimental
- What is quasi experimental research
- Disadvantages of experimental research
- Experimental vs non experimental
- Experimental vs non experimental
- Example of learning objectives
- Learning outcomes of direct and indirect speech
- Output devices
- Learning outcomes of work and energy
- Sales and revenue are the same
- Learning outcomes of work and energy
- Indian and international number system
- Expected outcome example
- Learning outcomes of water cycle
- Objectives of teaching notice writing