Pedagogical Agents: Pedagogical Interventions via Integration of Task-oriented and Socially Oriented Conversation

In English A main objective of the research is to develop an educational math game based on the pedagogies of learning by teaching (Bargh & Schul, 1980) , peer coaching and social role models (Bandura1986, 2000; Schunk, 1987) while exploiting a tight interrelation of task oriented and socially oriented conversation. Another objective is to use the game to explore the mentioned pedagogical topics via design-based research.

The significance of the work lies in
i) the novelty of supplying a teachable agent, being deeply integrated in the educational software in contrast to a pedagogical agent that is an addition or bonus to a program, with a social conversational module. This has specific potentials for pedagogical interventions by integrated task oriented and socially oriented conversation
ii) the long term perspective regarding studies; a previous version of the software – without the social conversational module – has already been used for extended periods of time in regular class activities. This will be continued with the novel system enabling long-term studies. We will among other things examine the role of visual appearance not just for short-time interaction but for human-agent social relationships that persist over time. Possibilities to influence stereotypes over time, and how self-efficacy beliefs can develop over time are other items on the research