Animated pedagogical agents have become popular in multimedia learning with combined delivery of verbal and non-verbal forms of information. In order to reduce unnecessary cognitive load caused by such multiple forms of information and also to foster generative cognitive processing, multimedia design principles with social cues are suggested (Mayer, 2014a). This study presents the design model ...

This chapter describes five commonly held principles about multimedia learning that are not supported by research and suggests alternative generalizations that are more firmly based on existing studies. The questionable beliefs include the expectations that multimedia instruction: 1) yields more learning than live instruction or older media; 2) is more motivating than other instructional delive...

Combining face-to-face learning and teaching experiences with online tasks and activities has become an increasingly common practice for a growing number of university teachers. This phenomenon, known as ‘blended’ learning, has become part of the educational provision of most ‘conventional’ on-campus universities. The present study investigated how conceptions of teaching and eTeaching, both si...

The proficiency in a second language is fully attained only if students have learnt to modulate the rhythmic and prosodic parameters equivalent to those of the native speakers. This study is aimed to test the pedagogical effectiveness of the selfimitation technique for the purpose of developing a native-like prosodic competence. Seven intermediate Japanese learners of Italian (NNSs) and 2 nativ...

This research aims to implement an intelligent tutoring system with multiple co-operative strategies involving several pedagogical agents (for instance: tutor, co-tutor, companion, ...). Such agents are able to play different pedagogical roles, consequently, we called them actors. We describe a general architecture for actors, and illustrate it in the context of a new strategy : learning by dis...

Educational games are highly motivating, however, there is little evidence that they can trigger learning unless game-play is supported by additional activities. We aim to support students during game play via an intelligent pedagogical agent that intervenes to offer hints and suggestions when the student is lacking domain knowledge, but does not interfere otherwise, so as to maintain the engag...

This chapter discusses design challenges encountered when developing a conversational pedagogical agent. By tracing the historical roots of pedagogical agents in Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), we discern central developments in creating an agent that is both knowledgeable and fosters a social relationship with the learner. Main challenges faced when attempting to develop a pedagogical agen...

We have developed and evaluated an affect-sensitive version of AutoTutor, a dialogue based ITS that simulates human tutors. While the original AutoTutor is sensitive to learners’ cognitive states, the affect-sensitive tutor is responsive to their affective states as well. This affective tutor automatically detects learners’ boredom, confusion, and frustration by monitoring conversational cues, ...

Affect has been the subject of increasing attention in cognitive accounts of learning. Many intelligent tutoring systems now seek to adapt pedagogy to student affective and motivational processes in an effort to increase the effectiveness of tutorial interaction and improve learning outcomes. However, the majority of research on tutorial feedback has focused on pedagogical content, often at the...

In the first of two experimental studies, 312 students were randomly assigned to one of 8 conditions, where agents differed by ethnicity (Black, White), gender (male, female), and image (realistic, cartoon), yet had identical messages and computer-generated voice. In the second study, 229 students were randomly assigned to one of 12 conditions where agents represented different instructional ro...