Omron Corporation, in partnership with Media XOmron Corporation, in partnership with Media X

e-School: an e-Learning system e-School: an e-Learning system using life-like agentsusing life-like agents

Team: Team: Omron Corporation, in partnership with Media XOmron Corporation, in partnership with Media X

Hiroshi Nakajima Hiroshi Nakajima <nak@ari.ncl.omron.co.jp><nak@ari.ncl.omron.co.jp>

Ryota Yamada Ryota Yamada <ryamada@stanford.edu><ryamada@stanford.edu>

Kimihiko Iwamura Kimihiko Iwamura <kiwamura@oas.net><kiwamura@oas.net>

Yasunori Morishima Yasunori Morishima <morishima@icu.ac.jp ><morishima@icu.ac.jp >

TK <tk@oas.net>TK <tk@oas.net> Shigeyasu Kawaji Shigeyasu Kawaji

<kawaji@cs.kumamoto-u.ac.><kawaji@cs.kumamoto-u.ac.> Dusan Jevtic <DusanJevtic@oas.net>Dusan Jevtic <DusanJevtic@oas.net> Masaki Aarao Masaki Aarao

<masaki_arao@omron.co.jp> <masaki_arao@omron.co.jp>

Prof. Cliff Nass <nass@stanford.edu>Prof. Cliff Nass <nass@stanford.edu> Scott Brave <brave@stanford.edu>,Scott Brave <brave@stanford.edu>, Heidy Maldonado Heidy Maldonado

<heidym@CS.Stanford.EDU><heidym@CS.Stanford.EDU> Roselyn Lee <jroselyn@stanford.edu>Roselyn Lee <jroselyn@stanford.edu> Wendy Ju <wendyju@stanford.edu>Wendy Ju <wendyju@stanford.edu>

With additional support from: Hideki With additional support from: Hideki Kunii, Taisuke Tateishi, Yuriko Kunii, Taisuke Tateishi, Yuriko Iwashita, Garry Tan, Iwashita, Garry Tan, Wataru Hasegawa, Wataru Hasegawa, and others.and others.

eSchool: OvervieweSchool: Overview

Collaborative learning system provides virtual spacCollaborative learning system provides virtual spaces in which students can study anytime, anywhere.es in which students can study anytime, anywhere.

Patent-pending architecture designed for emotionalPatent-pending architecture designed for emotionally engaging mobile learning: ly engaging mobile learning: supports interruptions and returns, supports interruptions and returns, client-server data exchange, client-server data exchange, context-independent social intelligence allows context-independent social intelligence allows

for complex interactions,for complex interactions, modular application-specific content (lessons, modular application-specific content (lessons,

graphics) makes customization easy.graphics) makes customization easy.

Students are represented by an avatar, co-learners Students are represented by an avatar, co-learners may be avatars driven by other students, or autonomay be avatars driven by other students, or autonomous agents.mous agents.

eSchool currently: eSchool currently: v.1.3fv.1.3f

Most online training/tutoring systems are based on 1:1 relationship betMost online training/tutoring systems are based on 1:1 relationship between teacher or coach and human learner. Some include conversation ween teacher or coach and human learner. Some include conversation partner character, but none include colearner.partner character, but none include colearner.

Colearner answers same question as human learner, may be avatar (repColearner answers same question as human learner, may be avatar (representing another colearner online but situated miles away) or fully autresenting another colearner online but situated miles away) or fully autonomous synthetic character. Goal is for human learner never to realizonomous synthetic character. Goal is for human learner never to realize difference.e difference.

Teacher is always fully autonomous synthetic character Teacher is always fully autonomous synthetic character Both student and co-learner character may be called on by teacher at aBoth student and co-learner character may be called on by teacher at a

ny point in the interaction.ny point in the interaction. Teacher and co-learner support learning process with supplemental exTeacher and co-learner support learning process with supplemental ex

planations.planations.

eSchool: Screen OvervieweSchool: Screen Overview v1.3fv1.3f

Student’savatar

Competitive co-learner character

Blackboard area where answer choices are

presented

Teacher character

Student’s mood control buttons

eSchool: ValidationeSchool: Validation

Testbed application: English idioms for ESL college students, medium/advancTestbed application: English idioms for ESL college students, medium/advanced level. ed level.

Single lesson sequence: diagnostic, basic and/or advanced.Single lesson sequence: diagnostic, basic and/or advanced. Lessons consist on question-explanation (and explanation-question) pairs.Lessons consist on question-explanation (and explanation-question) pairs. Content delivered through teacher character and demonstrative video. Content delivered through teacher character and demonstrative video. Implemented in Java in a PC, 12 distinct avatars available.Implemented in Java in a PC, 12 distinct avatars available. Experiment conducted in Japan on college students with three conditions: Experiment conducted in Japan on college students with three conditions:

colearner with emotional model and expression, colearner with emotional model and expression, colearner without emotional model, colearner without emotional model, wihtout colearner.wihtout colearner.

Conditions: co-learner avatar could be absent or present.Conditions: co-learner avatar could be absent or present. Post-experience questionnaire measures attitudinal responses to software, as well as recaPost-experience questionnaire measures attitudinal responses to software, as well as reca

ll and recognition of idioms explained (multiple choice, fill-in the blank questions).ll and recognition of idioms explained (multiple choice, fill-in the blank questions). Results in the US show support for co-learner presence: people learn better when they arResults in the US show support for co-learner presence: people learn better when they ar

e learning along with others!e learning along with others!

eSchool: Sample InteractioneSchool: Sample Interaction v.1.3fv.1.3f

Sample Diagnostic QuestionSample Diagnostic Question

Instructions: “What do you think the following statement means:”Instructions: “What do you think the following statement means:” Statement: “Lucy is a pain in the neck!”Statement: “Lucy is a pain in the neck!”

Possible Interpretations:Possible Interpretations: a) “Lucy hurt her neck.”a) “Lucy hurt her neck.” b) “Lucy makes my neck hurt.”b) “Lucy makes my neck hurt.” c) c) “Lucy is annoying.”“Lucy is annoying.” d) I don’t know.d) I don’t know.

Follow up: Teacher Agent Says:Follow up: Teacher Agent Says: ““Calling someone a pain in the neck is not very nice – and something Calling someone a pain in the neck is not very nice – and something

people tend to say only when the “pain in the neck” person is not present. people tend to say only when the “pain in the neck” person is not present. It means they are annoying or troublesome to you, perhaps because they It means they are annoying or troublesome to you, perhaps because they ask too many questions or put too many demands on your time.”ask too many questions or put too many demands on your time.”

eSchool: Sample InteractioneSchool: Sample Interaction v.1.3fv.1.3f

eSchool: Sample InteractioneSchool: Sample Interaction v.1.3fv.1.3f

Please note emotional response to feedback from

both student avatar and co-learner

character

Sample Advanced QuestionSample Advanced Question

Teacher Agent Says: “Now that you have watched the video, let’s discuss some of the expressions used in similar situations.”

Instructions: “We are going to try something different now. One of the alternatives presented as a possible interpretation for the sentence below is an incorrect interpretation. Your task is to select this wrong interpretation:”

Statement: “I’m going to have to pull an all-nighter!”

Possible Interpretations: a) “I have to work hard tonight.” b) “I will not get any sleep tonight.” c) “I will be putting on my pajamas tonite.” d) I don’t know.

Follow up: Teacher Agent Says: “Pulling an all-nighter is an expression often used by American college students when they do not sleep throughout the night in an attempt to cram for an exam or complete their assignments for the next day. Similar expressions are “to stay up” and “to burn the midnight oil,” although this midnight oil expression may imply that the student slept some reduced number of hours. “Staying up” does not imply that you were on your feet the whole night, but that you did not lay down in bed.”

Lower ScoresVideo Presentation

Diagnostic Questions

Advanced Questions Basic Questions

Learning Evaluation

Higher Scores

Lesson FlowLesson Flow