Towards Ethical Design Features for Pedagogical Conversational Agents

Pedagogical Conversational Agents (PCAs) offer the potential to increase educational equity worldwide by making learning accessible to all as a service for good, often enabled by artificial intelligence (AI). Yet, there are ethical challenges to the design and use of PCAs that hinder the achievement of individual and social goals. However, in addition to a multitude of directives on the ethical design of information systems, concrete resulting design features for PCAs still fall short in scientific literature. Furthermore, a human-centered ethical discussion that integrates future users’ involvement in ethical PCA design is scarce to find. Based on a co-creation process embedded in Design Science Research with a total of 40 students, we derive requirements and concrete features for ethically responsible PCAs and reflect them along with the OECD principles for trustworthy AI. Initial conceptual prototypes visualize exemplary instantiations

Adapt or Die! - A Board Game to Support Dynamic Business Model Creation in Digital Darwinism

Adapt or Die! is an educational serious game developed to support the business model creation process in the era of Digital Darwinism by guiding players dynamically through the key building blocks of a digital business model while experiencing the need for adaption to the quickly changing environment. The artifact was developed with the design science research approach and gains from the positive effects of games to foster creativity, motivation and multifaceted thinking. The interaction and dynamic in the method itself better harmonize with the increasing market complexity. In parallel, the integrated educative content is adapted to specifics of digital business models. Future research includes the development and evaluation of a digitized version of the artifact

Business Model Innovation in the Context of Digital Darwinism: Design and Evaluation of an Evolutionary Framework

Geschäftsmodellinnovation nimmt vor dem Hintergrund des Digitalisierungsmegatrends eine zentrale Stellung für den Unternehmenserfolg ein. In der praktischen Umsetzung gestalten sich aber sowohl der Innovationsprozess selbst, als auch die Konzeption innovativer, digitaler Geschäftsmodelle im Einklang mit der gestiegenen Umweltkomplexität als äußerst herausfordernd. Gegenwärtig mangelt es an digitalspezifischen Frameworks für die Geschäftsmodellinnovation, welche auf der grundlegenden These dieser Arbeit beruhen, dass die Anpassungsfähigkeit an die sich hochdynamisch wandelnden Umweltbedingungen der entscheidende Wettbewerbsfaktor für die Überlebensfähigkeit von Unternehmen ist. Um einen Beitrag zu dieser Problematik zu leisten, setzt sich diese Dissertation mit der Frage auseinander, inwieweit ein Perspektivwechsel mittels Übertragung der Grundzüge der Evolutionstheorie auf den Geschäftsmodellinnovationsprozess einen prägnanten Erklärungsansatz bietet und zugleich Ausgangspunkt zur Gestaltung eines praxisrelevanten Frameworks sein könnte. Zur Ausgestaltung dieses Lösungsvorschlags werden abgeleitet aus vier Studien Anforderungen an ein solches Framework definiert und evolutionäre Analogien zur unternehmerischen Praxis identifiziert. Daraus geht der Business Model Evolutor hervor. Er besteht aus einem evolutorischen Referenzmodell für den Geschäftsmodellinnovationsprozess, einem praxisnahen Vorgehensmodell, dem Digital Canvas als Visualisierungsgrundlage, einem interaktiven Serious Game zur dynamischen Konzeption digitaler Geschäftsmodelle und der Marktevolutionsschleife zur Beschreibung der marktgetriebenen Industrieprägung. Im Sinne der Design Science Research werden die genannten Module des Frameworks kontinuierlich evaluiert und adaptiert und zeigen im Ergebnis ihren Mehrwert für die Wissenschaft und Praxis auf. Der Business Model Evolutor regt dazu an, den Geschäftsmodellinnovationsprozess aus einem unkonventionellen, evolutorischen Blickwinkel zu betrachten und innovative, digitale Geschäftsmodelle zielgerichtet als Reaktion auf Umweltveränderungen zu implementieren. Gleichzeitig begreift er diese als strukturverändernde Wandlungstreiber ihrer Industrie. Neben dem theoretischen Forschungsbeitrag hilft das evolutorische Framework Praktikern bei der Analyse, Konzeption und Adaption innovativer, digitaler Geschäftsmodelle.Fostering business model innovation plays a central role for the success of companies against the background of digital transformation. In practical implementation, the process and conception of innovative digital business models, in line with the increased environmental complexity, is extremely challenging. There is currently a lack of digital-specific frameworks for business model innovation, which are based on the fundamental proposition of this dissertation that the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions is the decisive competitive factor for the survivability of companies against the background of the highly dynamic megatrend of digitization. In order to make a contribution to this problem, this dissertation deals with the question of the extent to which a change of perspective by transferring the basic principles of biological evolution theory to the process of business model innovation, offers a concise explanatory approach and at the same time could be the starting point for the design of a practical framework. For this purpose, requirements for a contemporary framework are derived from four studies and from identified evolutionary analogies in entrepreneurial practice. This is where the Business Model Evolutor emerges from. It consists of a descriptive reference model for the business model innovation process, a multi-phase procedural model, the Digital Canvas as a visualization template, an interactive serious game as a dynamic source of inspiration for innovative digital business models and the market evolution loop for describing the market-driven change process of the involved industry. In terms of Design Science Research, the mentioned artifacts of the framework are continuously adapted and evaluated, thus revealing their (scientifically) added value and practical relevance. The use of the Business Model Evolutor offers an effective frame to look at business model innovation from an evolutionary perspective and to use it in a targeted manner in response to environmental changes or to initiate the alteration of the dominant value creation logic of an industry. The work thus makes a contribution to grasping the previously little examined subject of business model innovation from an unconventional perspective and to analyzing, adapting and implementing digital and innovative business models in practice

Exploring the Impact of Inclusive PCA Design on Perceived Competence, Trust and Diversity

Pedagogical Conversational Agents (PCAs) conquer academia as learning facilitators. Due to user heterogeneity and need for more inclusion in education, inclusive PCA design becomes relevant, but still remains understudied. Our contribution thus investigates the effects of inclusive PCA design on competence, trust, and diversity awareness in a between-subjects experiment with two contrastingly designed prototypes (inclusive and non-inclusive PCA) tested among 106 German university students. As expected by social desirability, the results show that 81.5% of the probands consider an inclusive design important. However, at the same time, the inclusive chatbot is highly significantly rated as less competent. In contrast, we did not measure a significant effect regarding trust, but a highly significant, strongly positive effect on diversity awareness. We interpret these results with the help of the qualitative information provided by the respondents and discuss arising implications for inclusive HCI design

A Longitudinal Study on Boosting Students’ Performance with a Learning Companion

This study examines the impact of a coded virtual learning companion (LC) that interacts with students of an introductory information systems class throughout the semester. The LC is designed to motivate, advise on time management strategies, and study collaboratively. We conducted a between-subject longitudinal field experiment to investigate the LC’s impact on student motivation, time management, and learning outcomes. Statistical analysis, including a PLS-SEM model, shows that the LC significantly (p \u3c 0.05) improves extrinsic motivation, challenge, short-term planning, and time attitudes. A multiple mediator analysis confirms the role of motivation and time management as mediators between LC use and learning outcomes (subjective knowledge and exam scores). In addition, we conducted a qualitative workshop with the target group to identify barriers to LC adoption and derive mitigation strategies. Overall, our study reveals great potential to facilitate learning with LCs in higher education

PUMA - A Java Application for Pattern-based Business Model Adaptation

PUMA stands for Pattern-based bUsiness Model Adaptator. Behind it is a Java application designed to teach students in creating business models in volatile, digital environments. Surrounded by the theoretical lenses of Digital Darwinism, its users experience the pattern-based architecture of business models (BM) and the evolutionary process of innovation behind it. Guided by the PUMA, they innovate existing BMs in a divergent-convergent process by first identifying integrated patterns and then adapting them systematically. The artifact was developed using the Design Science Research Paradigm and relies on scientific research proving that innovation processes are mapped by the evolutionary recombination of existing patterns. The implemented divergent-convergent process is intended to promote creativity and versatile thinking. So far, the artifact has been designed and evaluated in three iterative DSR cycles for use in entrepreneurship education. However, our paper also proposes the future transfer of PUMA to new contexts such as medicine or sales

Deriving Design Knowledge for eLearning Companions to Support International Students

International students often have difficulties in getting connected with other students (from their host country), or in fully understanding the lectures due to barriers such as interacting in a foreign language or adjusting to a new campus. eLearning Companions (eLCs) act as virtual friends, accompany students with dialog-based support for learning and provide individual guidance. We contribute to the lack of prescriptive design knowledge for that specific use case by deriving 16 design principles for eLCs and transferring them into an expository instantiation along the Design Science Research paradigm. We build upon 14 identified literature requirements and 15 condensed user requirements resulting from an empirical study with 76 Chinese-speaking exchange students at a German university. Our objective is to extend the knowledge base and support scientists and practitioners in eLC design for non-native students to initiate further research and discussion

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words – Exploring Bias in Inclusive Chatbot Design

This study examines the impact of different avatar pictures (gender & disability representation) and gendering on students\u27 perceptions of chatbots in an interaction on learning strategies with 180 students from a German university. In the first experiment, we manipulated the chatbot’s humanoid profile picture based on gender and the representation of a visible handicap (wheelchair). In the second experiment, we varied its language style. Statistical analysis revealed that displaying a physical disability significantly enhanced trust, credibility, and empathy but reduced perceived competence and dominance. Gender-sensitive language improved perceptions of competence, trust, credibility, and empathy, whereas we did not find significant interaction effects between both factors. Our results imply the necessity of a more inclusive design of information systems and highlight designers\u27 responsibility in raising awareness and mitigating unconscious bias, as digital learning (technologies) continue to advance

Using Hexad Archetypes to Motivate Students in a Chatbot-enhanced Web-based Training

This study explores the challenge of maintaining motivation in further education for working students, who face the double burden of work and learning. To address this issue, we investigate the design and implementation of a pedagogical conversational agent (PCA) within a web-based training (WBT) platform. Drawing on literature, interviews with 11 experts, and a creative workshop with 14 working students, we use the Hexad user type framework to tailor the WBT to each user\u27s motivational archetype. We prioritize design features for each of the six archetypes and instantiate these in a prototype. In a field experiment with 17 working students using the WBT prototype for exam preparation, we observe a significant increase in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. This study contributes to the emerging field of PCA-enhanced digital learning, highlighting the potential of personalized motivation in persuasive dialogue systems

DESIGN KNOWLEDGE FOR VIRTUAL LEARNING COMPANIONS

Conversational agents (CAs) are getting smarter thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, which opens the potential to use them in educational contexts to support (working) students. In addition, CAs are turning toward relationship-oriented virtual companions (e.g., Replika). Synthesizing these trends, we derive the virtual learning companion (VLC), which aims to support working students in their time management and motivation. In addition, we propose design knowledge, which was developed as part of a design science research project. We derive nine design principles, 28 meta-requirements, and 33 categories of design features based on interviews with students and experts, the results of an interdisciplinary workshop, and a user test. We aim to demonstrate how to design VLCs to unfold their potential for individual student support