The Past, Present, and Future of Intelligent Pedagogical Agents: From Avatars to Human Digital Twins

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Technological advances have enabled educational researchers to create increasingly human-like agents. However, despite reported success of these agents and continued refinement in their capabilities, the research findings concerning the impact of different agent characteristics on the effectiveness of learning remain inconclusive. That is, how do characteristics including (1) learning technology, (2) agent functionality, (3) agent roles, (4) learner demographics, and (5) pedagogical approaches each contribute to learning both as an outcome and as a process? As such, this symposium features four presentations around several types of pedagogical agents that help support and scaffold learners’ cognitive, motivational, metacognitive, and affective processes, and conclude with an exploration of pedagogical agents that are digital replicas of learners, or Human Digital Twins (HDTs) of ourselves.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Studying and Self-Regulated Learning

Chairs

• Megan Wiedbusch, University of Central Florida

• Roger Azevedo, University of Central Florida

Papers

• The Past, Presence, and Future of Intelligent Pedagogical Agents - Gautam Biswas, Vanderbilt University

• AI Partners to Support Group Collaboration in Classrooms - Leanne Hirshfield, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Pedagogical Agents Research for AI-Augmented Narrative-Centered Learning - James C. Lester, North Carolina State University

• A Modeling and Simulation Transdisciplinary Approach to the Design of Human Digital Twins for Learning - Megan Wiedbusch, University of Central Florida; Roger Azevedo, University of Central Florida; Sarah Romero, University of Central Florida; Crystal Maraj, University of Central Florida; Carolina Diana Cruz, University of Central Florida; Azhar Ali Mohammad, University of Central Florida; Abdul Mohammed, University of Central Florida; Jason Diana Ortiz, University of Central Florida; Grace Bochenek, University of Central Florida