Design Knowledge for Virtual Learning Companions from a Value-centered Perspective

The increasing popularity of conversational agents such as ChatGPT has sparked interest in their potential use in educational contexts but undermines the role of companionship in learning with these tools. Our study targets the design of virtual learning companions (VLCs), focusing on bonding relationships for collaborative learning while facilitating students’ time management and motivation. We draw upon design science research (DSR) to derive prescriptive design knowledge for VLCs as the core of our contribution. Through three DSR cycles, we conducted interviews with working students and experts, held interdisciplinary workshops with the target group, designed and evaluated two conceptual prototypes, and fully coded a VLC instantiation, which we tested with students in class. Our approach has yielded 9 design principles, 28 meta-requirements, and 33 design features centered around the value-in-interaction. These encompass Human-likeness and Dialogue Management, Proactive and Reactive Behavior, and Relationship Building on the Relationship Layer (DP1,3,4), Adaptation (DP2) on the Matching Layer, as well as Provision of Supportive Content, Fostering Learning Competencies, Motivational Environment, and Ethical Responsibility (DP5-8) on the Service Layer

Gendered Socialization with an Embodied Agent: Creating a Social and Affable Mathematics Learning Environment for Middle-Grade Females

This study examined whether or not embodied-agent-based learning would help middle-grade females have more positive mathematics learning experiences. The study used an explanatory mixed-methods research design. First, a classroom-based experiment was conducted with one hundred and twenty 9th-graders learning introductory algebra (53% male and 47% female; 51% Caucasian and 49% Latino). The results revealed that learner gender was a significant factor in the learners’ evaluations of their agent (η2 = .07), the learners’ task-specific attitudes (η2 = .05), and their task-specific self-efficacy (η2 = .06). In-depth interviews were then conducted with 22 students selected from the experiment participants. The interviews revealed that Latina and Caucasian females built a different type of relationship with their agent and reported more positive learning experiences as compared to Caucasian males. The females’ favorable view of the agent-based learning was largely influenced by their everyday classroom experiences, implying that students’ learning experience in real and virtual spaces was interconnected

Applying science of learning in education: Infusing psychological science into the curriculum

The field of specialization known as the science of learning is not, in fact, one field. Science of learning is a term that serves as an umbrella for many lines of research, theory, and application. A term with an even wider reach is Learning Sciences (Sawyer, 2006). The present book represents a sliver, albeit a substantial one, of the scholarship on the science of learning and its application in educational settings (Science of Instruction, Mayer 2011). Although much, but not all, of what is presented in this book is focused on learning in college and university settings, teachers of all academic levels may find the recommendations made by chapter authors of service. The overarching theme of this book is on the interplay between the science of learning, the science of instruction, and the science of assessment (Mayer, 2011). The science of learning is a systematic and empirical approach to understanding how people learn. More formally, Mayer (2011) defined the science of learning as the “scientific study of how people learn” (p. 3). The science of instruction (Mayer 2011), informed in part by the science of learning, is also on display throughout the book. Mayer defined the science of instruction as the “scientific study of how to help people learn” (p. 3). Finally, the assessment of student learning (e.g., learning, remembering, transferring knowledge) during and after instruction helps us determine the effectiveness of our instructional methods. Mayer defined the science of assessment as the “scientific study of how to determine what people know” (p.3). Most of the research and applications presented in this book are completed within a science of learning framework. Researchers first conducted research to understand how people learn in certain controlled contexts (i.e., in the laboratory) and then they, or others, began to consider how these understandings could be applied in educational settings. Work on the cognitive load theory of learning, which is discussed in depth in several chapters of this book (e.g., Chew; Lee and Kalyuga; Mayer; Renkl), provides an excellent example that documents how science of learning has led to valuable work on the science of instruction. Most of the work described in this book is based on theory and research in cognitive psychology. We might have selected other topics (and, thus, other authors) that have their research base in behavior analysis, computational modeling and computer science, neuroscience, etc. We made the selections we did because the work of our authors ties together nicely and seemed to us to have direct applicability in academic settings

Autonomy in foreign language learning: An exploratory analysis of Japanese learners

Learner autonomy has received increased attention: in the recent language teaching and learning literature. Although Holec (1981) proposed a somewhat categorical definition of learner autonomy, this concept can be viewed in various ways depending on factors such as context and culture. One may posit, for example, that learner autonomy is based on Western values and as such, is not as easily accessible in the Asian context. With such variables in mind, the purpose of this study is to gain a greater understanding of Japanese students\u27 beliefs regarding foreign language learning in a particular context. This is undertaken by utilising multi-modal investigation procedures, consisting of three studies. Little\u27s learner autonomy theory is utilised throughout this study to provide the theoretical framework. The current research is divided into three interrelated studies. Study One attempt to identify high achievers\u27 beliefs about effective foreign language learning strategies, teacher/learner roles, classroom expectations, self-motivation strategies, and their concept of the self as a learner. In Study One, Little\u27s definition of learner autonomy is considered as the basic concept and used to examine whether or not the collected data in this research supports his theory. Study Two attempts to discover Japanese students’ beliefs and expectations about foreign language learning in a particular context, namely, learning English in Japan. Study Three reports the students’ views on inside/outside classroom environment their journal writings. The researcher takes the position, based on Little\u27s theory, that learner autonomy means both awareness of self-direction and the need for collaboration. In addition, she believes that autonomous learning is not just a matter of offering freedom of time and space, but that internal flexibility should be given some consideration in the development of learner autonomy. Based on Study One, learner autonomy is defined as learners\u27 internal attitude for self-motivation, which leads to effective language learning. Positive self•beliefs and metacognitive awareness con be considered as keys in promoting learner autonomy. Study Two results confirmed high achievers\u27 higher self•efficacy beliefs as compared with average students. The high achievers tended to have more confidence in their ability to learn a language successfully and showed a greater understanding for and use of metacognitive knowledge and strategies. In Study Three, low•middle English level students\u27 beliefs were extracted from their journals and presented in detail. These showed that confidence•building and metacognitive awareness for self•reflection affected their motivation for autonomous learning. Results suggest that teachers should not impose restrictions on their students\u27 potential based on their external judgement of the students\u27 capabilities. Therefore, instead of training learners to satisfy teacher expectations, or simply giving students unbounded freedom to make decisions, learner development that promotes autonomy should be more concerned with the nature of both students’ and teachers’ learning as a path towards self growth

Grammatical accuracy improvement in virtual learning environments using screencast feedback

122 Páginas.This research was carried out with 49 undergraduate students enrolled in a Colombian, virtual, public university. It aimed to analyze the grammatical accuracy improvement of students when writing short descriptive texts after they received feedback through screencasts. This study was a mixed action research since qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data were used; this approach allowed the researcher to use four types of instruments: a pre intervention survey, students' short descriptive texts, a teacher's journal and a post intervention survey. Data was analyzed using Descriptive Statistics and Grounded Theory. Findings revealed that students who were developing their language competencies in a virtual learning environment benefited through the use of image and audio in a single resource, which allowed the teacher to combine oral and written comments, provide observations on specific issues, and suggest how errors should be corrected. In like manner, screencast feedback proved to be a strategy that not only allowed students to have the opportunity to understand and improve their grammatical errors when writing short descriptive texts but also the teacher to make appropriate and punctual suggestions. ​

Knowledge mentoring as a framework for designing computer-based agents for supporting musical composition learning

An approach to the design of teaching agents in problem-seeking domains - that is based on a systematic relationship between theoretical framework, analysis of empirical data, computational model and computational implementation - has been developed. The theoretical framework, called the Knowledge Mentoring framework (KMf), was developed to investigate how studies of dialogue and interaction can be exploited in a practical way by designers of computer-based teaching agents. A particular focus was the following musical education problem: when interacting with a computer-based music system, many students do not spontaneously reflect on their activity, they often need to be encouraged to do this. The KMf provides a taxonomy and definitions of the pedagogical goals involved in a 'mentoring' style of teaching. Mentoring is an approach to teaching that aims to support learners' creative, metacognitive and critical thinking, these being essential to musical composition and other open-ended, problem-seeking domains. This theoretical framework was used to guide the analysis and modelling of data produced by an empirical study of human teacher-learner interactions. Information on the temporal ordering of teacher-learner interactions was revealed (modelled as. state transition networks and a mentoring script). Findings from the analysis also included a pause taxonomy (that provided evidence of a link between pause length and learner ability) and the occurrence of reciprocal modelling (where participants in learning interactions built up models of the other participants' expectations). The theoretical framework and the analysis findings were then used to develop a computational model for teaching agents in problem-seeking domains. Aspects of our theory, analysis findings and computational model were incorporated into a computational implementation: a pre-prototype teaching agent called MetaMuse. A Cooperative Evaluation of MetaMuse with teacher-composers showed that it had the potential to promote creative reflection in learners

AI and Gender in Persuasion: Using Chatbots to Prevent Driving Under The Influence of Marijuana

Will new media techniques, such as artificial intelligence (AI), help refresh public safety advertising campaigns and help better target specific populations, and aid in persuasive, preventative marketing? This paper used hypocrisy induction as a persuasive tool for standalone artificial intelligence chatbots to test potential behavioral change in the context of marijuana. This research further tested whether the chatbots\u27 gender and language styles impact how persuasive and effective the chat agents are perceived to be using hypocrisy induction. An online experiment conducted with 705 participants (Mage = 42.9, 392 women). where participants interact with a chatbot that is manipulated as male/female and uses formal/causal language. Half of the participants received the hypocrisy induction manipulation. hypocrisy induction is more effective when chatbot gender and linguistic styles are appropriately paired. Participants in the hypocrisy induction condition exhibited higher WTP than those in the non-hypocrisy induction condition when the chatbot they interacted with was female in gender and used casual language. However, hypocrisy induction increased WTP than those who did not receive the hypocrisy induction manipulation when the gender of the chatbot they interacted with was male and used formal language. To the researchers\u27 knowledge, this is among the first studies testing the persuasive power of hypocrisy induction using new media platforms in public safety and health advertising in marijuana studies. Findings not only help to shed light on the persuasiveness of gender and language in standalone chatbots but also provide practical implications for practitioners on the future usage of chatbots