low versus high intensity emotion in animated pedagogical agents
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Low versus High Intensity Emotion in Animated Pedagogical Agents A Qualitative Study
Enilda Romero-Hall ID&T PhD. Candidate Darden College of Education Old Dominion University
Overview
1. Introduction
2. Literature Review
3. Purpose Statement & Research Question
4. Operationalized Variables
8. Discussion
5. Research Paradigm & Tradition
6. Methodology
7. Results
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Introduction
Text
Text
Computer–Mediated Instruction
Content Representation
Animated Pedagogical Agents
Emotion
• Web–based Instruction • Instructional Simulations • Serious Games
• Text • Audio • Images • Animations
• Interface Agent Characteristics
• Character Building Qualities
• Low Intensity • High Intensity
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Literature Review
Quantitative Inquiries
Positive Results for both Learning and Learner’s Perception (Lester et al., 1997; Atkinson, 2002)
Failed to Obtain Significant Results for Either Variable
(Adcock et al, 2006; Craig, Gholson, & Driscoll, 2002) Mix Results
(Baylor & Riu, 2003; Bickmore & Picard, 2005).
Qualitative Inquiries
Phenomenological Exploration - Conversational Agent (Veletsianos & Miller, 2008)
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Purpose Statement & Research Questions
TEXT TEXT TEXT TEXT
Purpose To describe the lived experiences of the learners as they interact with an emotionally expressive animated pedagogical agent in a computer–mediated instructional environment.
Research Questions a. How do learners perceive low intensity emotionally expressive agents? b. How do learners perceive high intensity emotionally expressive agents?
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Operationalized Variables
Low Intensity Emotion -Soft emotional tone in the voice -Eyebrow, mouth, and cheek movements were subtle and gentle -Head movement was limited and delicate.
High Intensity Emotion -Strong emotional tone in the voice, with very high pitch and intonation -Eyebrow, mouth, and cheek movements were exaggerated -Significant amount of head movement.
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Tradition & Paradigm
Post-Positivism Phenomenology
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Methodology
Participants (8)
2%
6% 13%
11%
15% 17%
2%
4%
15%
9% 4%
2%
Purpose of Computer Use
Educational Games Entertainment Games
News Research
Social Networking Email
Distance Education Courses Accounting/Finance
Word Processing Data storage (i.e., data bases)
Graphics Other (please specify)
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50%
25%
25%
Experience with Computers
Competent Proficient Expert
Methodology
Individual Interviews
Guided Reflection Journals
Demographic Questionnaire
Coding
Keywords
Codebook Themes
Transcripts
Data Sources
Data Analysis
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Results
Theme 1: Perceived Importance
Could be implement to support the
learning experience of the students (both treatments) Guide the student throughout the
instructional content Emotional cues would highlight
important content “Animated agents were not worth the
effort” (both treatments)
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Results
Theme 2: Perceived Enjoyment
Some of the critical comments were
related to the interaction controls and lack of detail in the physical appearance of agent - clothing (both treatments)
Complementary comments were related to the physical appearance of the animated agent – black male (both treatments)
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Results
Theme 3: Perceived Humanness of the Agent
All participants perceived the agent as
“professional looking”, “sharp dresser,” “very modern” and someone that “looked like a professor.” (both treatments)
The humanness of the agent was easily
discredited by lack of proper facial expression of emotion or other qualities like lack of synchronization between audio and mouth movements (both treatments)
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Results
Theme 4: Perceived Barriers for Implementation
The agent was distracting to the participant
(both treatments)
“Animated agent lack the ability to feel emotion therefore they are not capable of expressing emotion in a natural manner” (High intensity)
Unreliable technology and lack of trust on
technological advances (High intensity) The students and their lack of interest on
computer–mediated environments (High intensity)
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Results
Theme 5: Suggestions for Improvement
The agent should be use to “act things out” (Low Intensity)
The agent should provide verbal or textual feedback (Low intensity)
Motion was a suggestion from participants (both treatments)
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Discussion
-Across all themes, more similarities than differences in the lived experiences of the participants
-Emotion intensity may not play a role in the perception of the participants interacting with animated pedagogical agents
-Participants in both treatments suggest that animated pedagogical agents could provide instruction that is both engaging and interesting to the learner
-There is also significant evidence that participants in both treatment felt that the agent was distracting in some instances
-Limitation: the number of participants
-Limitation: The content was mainly negative facial and verbal emotion expressions.
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Acknowledgement
Special thanks to: Dr. Ginger Watson , Doctoral Advisor Dr. Danica Hays, Qualitative Research Instructor Nicole Cox, Student at Old Dominion University
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