Building a Social Conversational Pedagogical Agent - Design Challenges and Methodological Approaches

Agneta Gulz, Magnus Haake, Annika Silvervarg, Björn Sjödén, George Veletsianos

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingBook chapterResearchpeer-review

Abstract

The chapter discusses some 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 of creating an agent that is both knowledgeable and fosters a social relationship with the learner.
Some main challenges when attempting to develop a pedagogical agent of this kind regard: i) learners’ expectations on the agent’s knowledge profile and social profile, ii) dealing with learners’ engagement in off-task conversation and iii) managing potential abuse of the agent.
We illustrate these challenges and possible ways to address them, with reference to an ongoing R&D project, and with a focus on the design of a pedagogical agent’s visual embodiment and of its conversational capacities.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationConversational Agents and Natural Language Interaction: Techniques and Effective Practices
EditorsDiana Perez-Marin, Ismael Pascual-Nieto
PublisherIGI Global
Publication statusPublished - 2010

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Learning

Free keywords

  • Intelligent Tutoring Systems

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