Online chatbots (also known as pedagogical agents or virtual assistants) are becoming embedded into the fabric of technology, both in educational and commercial settings. Yet understanding of these technologies is inchoate and often untheorised, influenced by individuals’ willingness to trust technologies, aesthetic appearance of the chatbot and technical literacy, among other factors. This paper draws upon data from two research studies that evaluated students’ experiences of using pedagogical agents in education using responsive evaluation. The findings suggest that emotional connections with pedagogical agents were intrinsic to the user’s sense of trust and therefore likely to affect levels of truthfulness and engagement. They also indicate that the topic of the pedagogical agent-student

interaction is key to the student’s experience. The implications of these studies are that truthfulness, personalisation and emotional engagement are all vital components in using pedagogical agents to enhance online learning

Bhakta, Roy

Savin-Baden, Maggi

Tombs, G.

It would seem that emerging communication technologies are disrupting and changing societal norms and conventions. The literature suggests central to making sense of the unique qualities of cyberspace are understandings of such social networks, veracity and the differences between online and offline behaviour. We propose that as pedagogical agents are seen to help support and even improve the level of interactive learning on a programme or course, it is essential that these societal norms and behaviours are considered within pedagogical agent learning situations. Pedagogical agents are characters on the computer screen with embodied life-like behaviours such as speech, emotions, locomotion, gestures, and movements of the head, the eye, or other parts of the body. This paper presents findings of a pilot study that used pedagogical agents to examine disclosure in educational settings. The study used responsive evaluation to explore how the use of pedagogical agents might affect students’ truthfulness and disclosure by asking them to respond to a lifestyle choices survey delivered by a web-based pedagogical agent. The findings of this study suggest that 3 key issues are important; firstly the pedagogical appearance of the agent, secondly, the issue of choice and finally that of disclosure. Data also suggested that body language is critical to the learning effectiveness of pedagogical agents. The appearance of the pedagogical agent and the images it invoked, determined partially by students’ ability to choose their own pedagogical agent, were found to play a role in students’ willingness to disclose information. Qualitative findings from users also suggested that they may feel comfortable disclosing more sensitive information to pedagogical agents than to the interviewer. Our findings support the growing body of literature which suggests that the social environment of cyberspace is characterised by more open, straightforward and candid interpersonal communication, and that a pedagogical agent can support this. Findings indicate that emotional connection with pedagogical agents were intrinsic to the user’s sense of trust and therefore likely to affect levels of truthfulness and engagement. The implications of this study are that truthfulness, personalisation and emotional engagement are all vital components in using pedagogical agents to enhance online learning

Tombs, Gemma

Coventry University Pure Portal

'It’s almost like talking to a person': Student disclosure to pedagogical agents in sensitive settings

University of Worcester Research and Publications

'It's Almost Like Talking to a Person': Student Disclosure to Pedagogical Agents in Sensitive Setting

Online chatbots (also known as pedagogical agents or virtual assistants) are becoming embedded into the fabric of technology, both in educational and commercial settings. Yet understanding of these technologies is inchoate and often untheorised, influenced by individuals’ willingness to trust technologies, aesthetic appearance of the chatbot and technical literacy, among other factors. This paper draws upon data from two research studies that evaluated students’ experiences of using pedagogical agents in education using responsive evaluation. The findings suggest that emotional connections with pedagogical agents were intrinsic to the user’s sense of trust and therefore likely to affect levels of truthfulness and engagement. They also indicate that the topic of the pedagogical agent-student\ud
interaction is key to the student’s experience. The implications of these studies are that truthfulness, personalisation and emotional engagement are all vital components in using pedagogical agents to enhance online learning

Name not available

'It's Almost Like Talking to a Person': Student Discolsure to Pedagogical Agents in Sensitive Setting

http://www.networkedlearningconference.org.uk/abstracts/pdf/tombs.pdf

'It's Almost Like Talking to a Person': Student Disclosure to Pedagogical Agents in Sensitive Setting

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Coventry University Pure Portal

University of Worcester Research and Publications

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