Affect state recognition for adaptive human robot interaction in learning environments

Previous studies of robots used in learning environments suggest that the interaction between learner and robot is able to enhance the learning procedure towards a better engagement of the learner. Moreover, intelligent robots can also adapt their behavior during a learning process according to certain criteria resulting in increasing cognitive learning gains. Motivated by these results, we propose a novel Human Robot Interaction framework where the robot adjusts its behavior to the affect state of the learner. Our framework uses the theory of flow to label different affect states (i.e., engagement, boredom and frustration) and adapt the robot's actions. Based on the automatic recognition of these states, through visual cues, our method adapt the learning actions taking place at this moment and performed by the robot. This results in keeping the learner at most times engaged in the learning process. In order to recognizing the affect state of the user a two step approach is followed. Initially we recognize the facial expressions of the learner and therefore we map these to an affect state. Our algorithm perform well even in situations where the environment is noisy due to the presence of more than one person and/or situations where the face is partially occluded

Human-Robot Teaming Configurations: A Study of Interpersonal Communication Perceptions and Affective Learning in Higher Education

Technology encourages collaboration in creative ways in the classroom. Specifically, social robots may offer new opportunities for greater innovation in teaching. In this study, we combined the established literature on co-teaching teams with the developing field of machine actors used in education to investigate the impressions students had of different team configurations that included both a human and a robot. Participants saw one of three teams composed of a human and a social robot with different responsibilities present a short, prerecorded lecture (i.e., human as lead teacher-robot as teaching assistant, robot as lead teacher-human as teaching assistant, human and robot as co-teachers). Overall, students rated the human-led team as more appealing and having more credibility than the robot-led team. The data suggest that participants would be more likely to take a course led by a human instructor than a social robot. Previous studies have investigated machine actors in the classroom, but the current findings are unique in that they compare the individual roles and power structures of human-robot teams leading a course

Активизация познавательной и когнитивной деятельности учащихся в процессе изучения иностранного языка с применением обучающих роботов

Анализируются актуальные исследования по изучению лексики, грамматики, чтения и аудирования на иностранных языках посредством образовательной робототехники. Рассмотрено влияние обучающих роботов на мотивацию учащихся, влияние новизны обучающих роботов на изучение иностранного языка и сложности социального поведения обучающих роботов. В итоге установлено, что содержание обучения с помощью роботов нацелено на активизацию познавательной деятельности учащихся и обладает значительным потенциалом для развития эмоциональных навыков, необходимых в процессе обучени

Application of Computer Vision and Mobile Systems in Education: A Systematic Review

The computer vision industry has experienced a significant surge in growth, resulting in numerous promising breakthroughs in computer intelligence. The present review paper outlines the advantages and potential future implications of utilizing this technology in education. A total of 84 research publications have been thoroughly scrutinized and analyzed. The study revealed that computer vision technology integrated with a mobile application is exceptionally useful in monitoring students’ perceptions and mitigating academic dishonesty. Additionally, it facilitates the digitization of handwritten scripts for plagiarism detection and automates attendance tracking to optimize valuable classroom time. Furthermore, several potential applications of computer vision technology for educational institutions have been proposed to enhance students’ learning processes in various faculties, such as engineering, medical science, and others. Moreover, the technology can also aid in creating a safer campus environment by automatically detecting abnormal activities such as ragging, bullying, and harassment

Social robots and L2 teaching for children: a preliminary study on the embodiment of gestures

Experimental research confirms that using social robots with pre-school children as tutors for their learning has important positive effects in terms of children's learning and emotional involvement. In particular, the use of social robots for language learning (L1 and L2) leads to more learned words and a better memory of them. However, many technological limitations prevent from fully implementing the concept of embodiment, a distinctive feature of robotic technology compared to other computer-based technologies, and especially of gestures. In order to contribute to solve the problem, in a preliminary psychological test with Italian children learning English as L2, it was shown that appropriate modifications of the learning environment combined with a more limited use of gestures allow to achieve better results in terms of learning than a larger use of gestures in a less structured environment. If experimentally verified, these results would suggest the development of learning architectures which offer more affordances with respect to the task at hand, while implementing more limited forms of embodiment that are in line with current technological limitations. Robot sociali e insegnamento di L2 ai bambini: uno studio preliminare sull’embodiment della gestualitàLe ricerche sperimentali confermano che l’utilizzo di robot sociali in funzione di tutor per l’apprendimento di bambini nella fascia di età prescolare ha importanti effetti positivi in termini di apprendimento e di coinvolgimento emotivo dei bambini. In particolare, l’uso di robot in supporto all’apprendimento linguistico (L1 e L2) si traduce in un numero maggiore di parole apprese e in un migliore ricordo delle stesse. Numerosi limitazioni tecnologiche impediscono tuttavia la piena realizzazione nei robot sociali del concetto di embodiment, in particolare per quanto riguarda la gestualità. Proprio per contribuire a dare una soluzione al problema, in una prova psicologica preliminare con bambini italiani che apprendono la lingua inglese come L2 si dimostra che in un ambiente di apprendimento opportunamente strutturato una gestualità più limitata permette di conseguire migliori risultati di apprendimento e ricordo delle parole apprese rispetto a un uso maggiore della gestualità in un ambiente meno organizzato. Se sperimentalmente verificati, tali risultati indirizzerebbero verso lo sviluppo di architetture dell’ambiente di apprendimento più ricche di affordance rispetto al compito che consentano conseguentemente di implementare forme di embodiment più limitate in linea con le limitazioni tecnologiche attuali

JOGO E ROBÓTICA. PERSPECTIVAS ATUAIS A PARTIR DA DIDÁTICA DAS LÍNGUAS E CULTURAS

Recently, the evolution of processes and means of production has given rise to the “fourth industrial revolution” (4IR), marked by the acceleration of technological innovation as well as by the preponderant role of artificial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing, the Internet of Things and Big Data. The 4IR forces us to reconsider the basic principles of education in general and foreign language teaching/learning in particular. In this paper, we will explore the current perspectives of robotics from the foreign language teaching and learning field, with a special emphasis on the theme of game and play. After underlining the relationship between 4RI and the so-called 21st century competencies, we will briefly examine the effects of 4IR in foreign language teaching and learning field and mention the potential educational roles assigned to the most recent information and communication technologies within the previously described context. We will then turn our attention to an as yet little studied area at the crossroads of foreign language teaching and learning field, robotics and game studies: we will present and discuss some of the existing developments and suggest some possible research directions.Recientemente, la evolución de los procesos y los medios de producción ha dado lugar a la “cuarta revolución industrial” (4RI), marcada por la aceleración de la innovación tecnológica así como por el papel preponderante de la inteligencia artificial, la robótica, la impresión en 3D, el Internet de las cosas y el procesamiento de grandes volúmenes de datos. La 4RI nos obliga a reconsiderar los principios básicos de la educación en general y de la enseñanza/aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras en particular. En este artículo, exploraremos las perspectivas actuales de la robótica desde la didáctica de lenguas y culturas (DLC), con un énfasis especial en el tema del juego. Tras subrayar la relación que existe entre la 4RI y las llamadas competencias del siglo XXI, examinaremos brevemente los efectos de la 4RI en la DLC y mencionaremos cuáles pueden ser las funciones educativas asignadas a las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) más recientes dentro del contexto previamente descrito. Nos interesaremos después por un área poco estudiada aún, en el cruce de la DLC, la robótica y las ciencias del juego: presentaremos y discutiremos cuatro desarrollos existentes y sugeriremos algunos posibles derroteros de la investigación.Recentemente, a evolução dos processos e meios de produção deu origem à “quarta revolução industrial” (4RI), marcada pela aceleração da inovação tecnológica, bem como pelo papel preponderante da inteligência artificial, robótica, impressão 3D, Internet das Coisas e megadados. O 4RI nos obriga a reconsiderar os princípios básicos da educação em geral e do ensino/aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras em particular. Neste artigo, exploraremos as perspectivas atuais sobre robótica a partir da didática de línguas e culturas (DLC), com uma ênfase especial no tema do jogo. Depois de sublinhar a relação entre o 4RI e as chamadas competências do século XXI, examinaremos brevemente os efeitos do 4RI no DLC e mencionaremos quais podem ser os papéis educacionais atribuídos às últimas tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC) no contexto descrito acima. Em seguida, nos voltaremos para uma área ainda pouco estudada na encruzilhada da DLC, robótica e ciência dos jogos: apresentaremos e discutiremos alguns dos desenvolvimentos existentes e sugeriremos algumas possíveis direções de pesquisa

Anxiety Reduction and RALL Implementation in English Grammar Acquisition among EFL Learners

The study is a part of a larger study on the impact of Robot-Assisted Language Learning (RALL) on English grammar acquisition and retention of adolescent English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. More specifically, the primary aim of the paper at hand was to examine the impact of RALL on adolescent EFL learners’ anxiety levels. In this regard, three intact classes (N=45) in a private language institute in Tehran were evenly divided into two experimental groups of RALL and Game-based Language Learning (GBLL) and one control group. The participants were adolescent male EFL learners between 11 to 15 years old with a mean age of 13. While the teacher, the textbook, and the teaching materials were identical in all groups, a kid-sized humanoid social robot was exclusively used in the RALL group. The data were collected through questionnaires in the final session for each group, and the results of descriptive statistics and ANOVA indicated that lower anxiety rates were observed in the RALL group. Our findings could clearly be proof of the efficiency of socially assistive robots in the instruction of language skills in a more favorable teaching context

The impact of robot tutor nonverbal social behavior on child learning

Several studies have indicated that interacting with social robots in educational contexts may lead to a greater learning than interactions with computers or virtual agents. As such, an increasing amount of social human–robot interaction research is being conducted in the learning domain, particularly with children. However, it is unclear precisely what social behavior a robot should employ in such interactions. Inspiration can be taken from human–human studies; this often leads to an assumption that the more social behavior an agent utilizes, the better the learning outcome will be. We apply a nonverbal behavior metric to a series of studies in which children are taught how to identify prime numbers by a robot with various behavioral manipulations. We find a trend, which generally agrees with the pedagogy literature, but also that overt nonverbal behavior does not account for all learning differences. We discuss the impact of novelty, child expectations, and responses to social cues to further the understanding of the relationship between robot social behavior and learning. We suggest that the combination of nonverbal behavior and social cue congruency is necessary to facilitate learning

Prepoznavanje in izražanje čustev: težave otrok z motnjo avtističnega spektra pri učenju tujega jezika in kako jih rešiti

Recognising emotions, facial expressions and tone of voice and body language, expressing and managing their own emotions, and understanding and responding to other people\u27s emotions are often difficult for children with autism spectrum disorder. Since the emotional codes of individuals with autism spectrum disorder are different, those people will possibly be awkward in expressing some throughout their lives. Although it might seem that children with autism spectrum disorder do not respond emotionally, the ability to understand their facial expressions could lead to an improvement in their social interaction difficulties. In addition, since autistic expressions might be unique to each child, recognising their emotions is important when delivering a personalised intervention to a child with autism spectrum disorder. In recent decades, researchers have become increasingly interested in the role of emotions in learning and teaching a foreign language beyond heavily investigated topics such as foreign language anxiety and motivation and attitudes towards the foreign language. In this paper, how emotions impact the motivation and success of children with autism spectrum disorder while they are learning a foreign language is presented. Challenges, opportunities and future research directions in this domain are given. (DIPF/Orig.