Designing Educational Agents by Reciprocal Caring Approach

Zhi-Hong Chen National Central University, Taiwan

Educational agentComputer-simulated virtual characters which

have human-like characteristics to enrich the individual learning context by virtual participants (Chou et al., 2002)

2

Why educational agents attract research interests (1/2)Reason #1:

Advanced multimedia technology has enabled the development of educational agents with believable behaviors E.g, animated pedagogical agents with lifelike

behaviors, such as nodding, eye-gazing and gestures (Johnson, Rickel, & Lester, 2000)

Why educational agents attract research interests (2/2)Reason #2:

Potential learning benefits that educational agents bring have been reported Exploration (Hook et al., 2000)

Communication (Lester et al., 1997; 1999; Johnson et al., 2000)

Negotiation (Bull & Pain, 1995; Bull, 2004)

Reflection & articulation (Goodman et al., 1998; Tholander et al., 1999)

Designing educational agents…Students’ cognitive gains are NOT the only

considerable factor, affective perceptions of interacting with educational agents are also a significant factor

This is because… (1/2)Some studies found that students have NO

enough interests to use educational systemsAlthough they know these systems are

available and good for them (Kay, 1995; Barnard & Sandberg, 1996; Bull, 2004)

This is because… (2/2)Another opinion is based on the reflection of

TEL: “what is the main difference between educational agents and cognitive tools?”We also design many cognitive tools

Educational agents should NOT be merely powerful cognitive tools, but also affective agents that can elicit students’ interest to interact, even care them

Animal companions (ACs)We design pet-style educational agents,

animal companions, by reciprocal caring approachStudents-care-agents: students nurture ACs to

deepen their relationship by game playingAgents-care-students: agents provide adaptive

hints/scaffoldings to help students learn

Buying foods and goods

Competition with other ACs

Nurturing AC

Training AC to become stronger

Students-care-agents- $

- $

- $

Deeping relationshipWhy computers should deepen relationship

Add a new dimension to the traditional interactivity (Trappl et al., 2001)

Develop the social aspect of digital learning environments (Gulz, 2005)

Be more adaptive to users’ feelings (Picard, 1997)

Befriend a computer (Stern, 2002)

Build a long-term social-emotional relationship (Bichmore, 2003; Bichmore & Picard, 2004)

10

Keeper-to-pet relationship (Melson, 2001)

Children have natural attachments to pets, since they both are simple, cute, and straightThis kind of relationship is easily elicited (Beck &

Katcher, 1996)

Children learn about love, loss, loyalty, nurture, and responsibility from interacting with their pets

11

About virtual pets…Subjective reality

A kind of psychological or emotional phenomenon towards non-perfect realistic artifacts

E.g. Tamagotchi

Therefore, we design animal companions as pet-style educational agents which need nurture and caring

12

(Kusahara, 2000)

Conceptual diagram

Students-care-agents Agents-care-students

LearningGame-playing

Virtual coins

Agents-care-studentsEducational agents provide adaptive helps

according to individual differences ITS/AIED technologies can be applied

+ $

Chinese idiom learning

Thanks for your attention!