The Effects of Arousal Presented by a Pedagogical Agent on English Language Learners' Situational Interest, Cognitive Load, and Reading Comprehension in Online Reading Tasks

• In Event: RTD - Improving Student Learning

Short Description

We examined the effects of the type of arousal (high/low perceptual arousal vs. high/low inquiry arousal) implemented in animated pedagogical agents on English language learners' situational interest, cognitive load, and reading comprehension in online reading tasks. A series of two-way ANCOVA was conducted using students' prior interest and prior content knowledge as covariates. A total of 157 English language learners participated in the study. The findings indicated the main effects of inquiry arousal on students' germane cognitive load (p = 0.049) and on reading comprehension (p = 0.017). Also an interaction effect was found between the inquiry arousal and the perceptual arousal on germane cognitive load (p = 0.014).

Authors

• Presenter: Jack Drobisz, University of South Florida

• Presenter: SANGHOON PARK, University of South Florida

• Presenter: Glenn Gordon Smith, University of South Florida