Can Avatars Replace the Trainer? A Case Study Evaluation

E-learning implementations have become an important agenda item for academic and business institutions as an enabler to complement their education and training needs. However, many of the existing e-learning systems, present several limitations such as them being static, passive and consisting of a time-consuming set of services. This has highlighted the need for functionality, which allows more creativity, autonomy, and flexibility on behalf of the learner. The inclusion of avatar technology in e-learning environments has been of growing interest, aiming to encourage the learner to become more engaged and motivated whilst augmenting the use of human trainers. However, the empirical investigations on the effect of animated agents in teaching and learning has revealed diverse results in a continuum from avatars being helpful to them being distracting. This research has evaluated the utility of avatars. Unusually, the research has chosen a qualitative, interpretive approach with supporting case study data as the chosen research methodology. The justification for this research approach will be made and the initial findings will be presented together with a proposed conceptual framework.

[1]  Bridget Somekh,et al.  New Technology and Learning: Policy and Practice in the UK, 1980–2010 , 2000, Education and Information Technologies.

[2]  Diane J. Hanson,et al.  E-Learning: Strategies for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age , 2003, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[3]  Trevor Wood-Harper,et al.  A Soft Systems Approach to Information Systems Quality , 1993, Scand. J. Inf. Syst..

[4]  Michael D. Myers,et al.  A Set of Principles for Conducting and Evaluating Interpretive Field Studies in Information Systems , 1999, MIS Q..

[5]  Richard Murch,et al.  Intelligent Software Agents , 1998 .

[6]  Maria Virvou,et al.  Evaluating the Persona Effect of an Interface Agent in an Intelligent Tutoring System , 2002 .

[7]  David Moore,et al.  Face Value: Towards Emotionally Expressive Avatars , 2002 .

[8]  Susanne van Mulken,et al.  The impact of animated interface agents: a review of empirical research , 2000, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..

[9]  Christos Bouras,et al.  e-Learning through distributed virtual environments , 2001, J. Netw. Comput. Appl..

[10]  Blake Ives,et al.  Web-based Virtual Learning Environments: a Research Framework and a Preliminary Assessment of Effectiveness in Basic It Skills Training Author(s): Piccoli Et Al./web-based Virtual Learning Environments Web-based Virtual Learning Environments: a Research Framework and a Preliminary Assessment of Effe , 2022 .

[11]  Bonnie Kaplan,et al.  Qualitative Research Methods for Evaluating Computer Information Systems , 2005 .

[12]  A. Michael Huberman,et al.  An expanded sourcebook qualitative data analysis , 1994 .

[13]  Sharon Brown,et al.  E-Learning Standards: A Guide to Purchasing, Developing, and Deploying Standards-Conformant E-Learning , 2002 .

[14]  James A. Holstein,et al.  The active interview , 1995 .

[15]  Geoff Walsham,et al.  Interpretive case studies in IS research: nature and method , 1995 .

[16]  Barbara Tversky,et al.  Animation: can it facilitate? , 2002, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..

[17]  Kecheng Liu,et al.  Knowledge Construction in E-Learning - Designing an E-Learning Environment , 2003, ICEIS.

[18]  Rüdiger Zarnekow,et al.  Intelligent Software Agents , 1998, Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

[19]  Andrew Nafalski,et al.  Recognising diverse learning styles in teaching and assessment of electronic engineering , 2000, 30th Annual Frontiers in Education Conference. Building on A Century of Progress in Engineering Education. Conference Proceedings (IEEE Cat. No.00CH37135).