Revisiting contextual relevance: pedagogical agent appearance

Abstract

Early research on pedagogical agents centered on functionality within multimedia environments. A specific, yet under-researched area was the contextual relevance of the agent’s appearance, leaving its validity neither confirmed nor refuted. This study investigated contextual relevance using a humanoid agent, a fox character agent, and a no-agent condition. Results didn’t conclusively support contextual relevance as the character agent was rated significantly higher on agent credibility and no significant differences on cognitive load. However, the humanoid agent outperformed the character and no-agent conditions in free recall, suggesting the need for further exploration of this concept.

Keywords:

• Pedagogical agents
• contextual relevance
• university students
• cognitive load

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robert O. Davis

Robert O. Davis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at Chonnam National University. He is also a member of both the Convergence Research Center for Immersive Learning Technology and the Institute of Educational Research. His current research interests include nonverbal communication with pedagogical agents, the social acceptance of virtual characters, and human interaction with computer-based environments.

Yong Jik Lee

Yong-Jik Lee received his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Florida. His research broadly focused on teaching methods and implementing educational technology in teacher education programs. Specifically, he studied issues related to teaching methods for diverse language learners, including English language learners and international graduate students. He taught technology integration courses for Korean pre-service teachers. He also worked with many graduate students pursuing their Master’s and Doctoral degrees. He is a research professor at the Institute of Educational Research at Chonnam National University.

Joseph Vincent

Joseph Vincent is a professor in the Department of English for International Conferences and Communication at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. His current research interests involve mixed media learning and teaching.

Sunok Lee

Sunok Lee is a Ph.D. student in Department of Education at Chonnam National University in Gwangju, South Korea. Ms. Lee is a member of the Convergence Research Center for Immersive Learning Technology. She has been serving for 23 years as a public-school teacher in English. Her research focuses on ways in which technology can support students’ learning in EFL contexts and the revitalization of classrooms and schools.

Daeun Kim

Daeun Kim is a master student in department of education at Chonnam National University in Gwangju, South Korea. Concurrently, she is a research assistant at the Institute of educational research at the same university. She actively contributes to designing and developing immersive learning environments using VR, AR, and MR. Her research interest is exploring the dynamic interactions between learners and immersive learning environments, aiming to enhance educational experiences through innovative technological approaches.

Jongho Kim

Jongho Kim is a master’s student in Department of Education at Chonnam National University in Gwangju, South Korea. Mr. Kim is a member of Convergence Research Center for Immersive Learning Technology. he has been serving for 11 years as a public-school teacher. His research focuses on how to support learners to learn more efficiently in media learning environments.