CAREER: Implementing and Assessing Human Animation in Pedagogical Agents

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The overall objectives of this project are to (1) create more effective pedagogical agents by incorporating novel methods of figure animation into them, and (2) rigorously assess the performance of these agents in K-12 classrooms. The research is divided into two components. The first component will develop and integrate a system for stylistically variable low-level motion specification, both full-bodied and facial, into the high-level cognitive components of a pedagogical agent. The particular pedagogical agent that will serve as the research infrastructure is called a ``teachable agent.'' The second component of the research will deploy the system in K-12 classrooms as each stage is developed, and conduct controlled multi-method studies to assess the influence of the animated agent on learning-related outcomes. The significance of the proposed work is its potential to improve the education of children, particularly in the domain of science. Additionally, controlled studies on the value of animated pedagogical agents in the area of K-12 education are rare. These studies should further the scientific understanding of the componentsof compelling animation, and result in a broader understanding of the proper role of graphics and animation in learning systems. An interdisciplinary course in computer science and education is being co-developed for the web and will be co-taught with faculty from the field of education. Finally, by introducing education as an important application of graphics and animation, the plan is to broaden the appeal of computer science to those who are traditionally under-represented.