How do learners respond to pedagogical agents that deliver social-oriented non-task messages? Impact on student learning, perceptions, and experiences

In this paper, I investigate the impact of non-task pedagogical agent behavior on learning outcomes, perceptions of agents’ interaction ability, and learner experiences. Quasi-experimental results indicate that while the addition of non-task comments to an on-task tutorial may increase learning and perceptions of the agent’s ability to interact with learners, this increase is not statistically significant. Further addition of non-task comments however, harms learning and perceptions of the agent’s ability to interact with learners in statistically significant ways. Qualitative results reveal that on-task interactions are efficient but impersonal, while non-task interactions were memorable, but distracting. Implications include the potential for non-task interactions to create an uncanny valley effect for agent behavior.

► I research pedagogical agents that introduce non-task information to a tutorial.
► Non-task comments initially had non-significant impact on learning and perceived interaction.
► Continuous increase in non-task comments harmed learning and perceived interaction.
► Participants reported that non-task interactions were memorable, but distracting.
► Agent non-task information may create an uncanny valley effect for agent behavior.