Learning with Digital Agents: An Analysis based on the Activity Theory

ABSTRACT

Digital agents are considered a general-purpose technology. They spread quickly in private and organizational contexts, including education. Yet, research lacks a conceptual framing to describe interaction with such agents in a holistic manner. While focusing on the interaction with a pedagogical agent, that is, a digital agent capable of natural-language interaction with a learner, we propose a model of learning activity based on activity theory. We use this model and a review of prior research on digital agents in education to analyze how various characteristics of the activity, including features of a pedagogical agent or learner, influence learning outcomes. The analysis leads to identification of information systems research directions and guidance for developers of pedagogical agents and digital agents in general. We conclude by extending the activity theory-based model beyond the context of education and show how it helps designers and researchers ask the right questions when creating a digital agent.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital agents
• pedagogical agents
• activity theory
• learning theory
• learning outcomes
• education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental Data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/07421222.2023.2172775.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Notes

¹ While we acknowledge that many learners could interact with a DA or a group of DAs, e.g., when DA acts as a classroom teacher or a group member, this manuscript focuses on the single-learner scenario. This is the simplest and the best-researched application for PAs: only few studies attend to interaction between a PA and multiple learners. The chosen focus spans various scenarios, e.g., exam preparation, homework, practicing work skills, or individual study during a class. Still, we see a school, a university, or a course as the organizational context, and the community of teachers, assistants, and learners as the social context of the learning activity.

² The underlying studies most frequently use causal language to describe the relation between an aspect of the LPA and the learning outcome. Those studies either do not directly discuss causality or they infer causal relationship from education theories and from temporal order of intervention and measurement. However, few examples are cautious enough to point out that their results describe a correlation [22, 78, 91, 149], but even those studies make causal claims based on the results. In this study, we consider studies independently of their approach to causality and follow them by assuming that changes in the LPA cause the observed transformation of the object. This view aligns with AT.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mateusz Dolata

Mateusz Dolata is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Informatics, University of Zurich, Switzerland. His interest spans co-located collaboration in IT-supported settings, responsible application of artificial intelligence for the common good, and application of digital agents in organizational settings. Dr. Dolata’s papers open the black box of work practices in human-computer assemblages while questioning scientific and public discourses that accompany the proliferation of modern technologies. Email: [email protected]

Dzmitry Katsiuba

Dzmitry Katsiuba is pursuing his Ph.D. as a full-time research assistant at the Department of Informatics, University of Zurich, He has a background in information systems, education, and geography. His primary research interest is the collaboration between artificial intelligence and human workers in organizational context. He co-authored articles on the use of natural language processing and artificial intelligence in professional work. Email: [email protected]

Natalie Wellnhammer

Natalie Wellnhammer is a software engineer at BSI Business Systems Integration AG, Switzerland. She is an alumna of the Department of Informatics, University of Zurich. She initiated the collaborative effort to study pedagogical agents. Email: [email protected]

Gerhard Schwabe

Gerhard Schwabe is a full professor in the Department of Informatics, University of Zurich. He specializes in information management and collaborative technologies. In books, journal papers, and conference publications he focuses on collaboration in workshops, city councils, learning, advice giving, and in digital platforms. Dr. Schwabe’s research focuses on the impact, application potential and management of novel technologies such as tangible interfaces, blockchain, artificial intelligence, and human-robot collaboration. Email: [email protected]