Animated Learning Environments: Animated Teachable Agents

Better learning environments through animation

Project Description

Our work examines the means and utility of using animated agents to promote positive learning experiences. We initially focused on developing and improving a user interface that would support an animated agent, and evaluating these changes on the teachable agent's target audience, K-12 students. My group and I animated the agent, using a videographic representation and using the manifold learning techniques described previously for traditional animation. We chose these methods to enable an easily customizable, easily authored agent. The effects of agent appearance, gender, expressions, and style of motion in promoting learning are still under investigation. We have demonstrated, however, that both the improved interface and the presence of an animated agent promote positive learning experiences for our target audience. We have constructed a system that facilitates easy authoring of animated learning environments, and we have shown that an animated teachable agent promotes a better learning outcome than one without animation. For more information on the broader project, see the teachable agent web site.

Publications

Students and Collaborators

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Bobby Bodenheimer
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