Research on Elementary School Students' Participatory Animated Pedagogical Agent Design in the Educational Metaverse Context

บทคัดย่อ

           With the rapid development of virtual learning environments, animated pedagogical agents have emerged as a key component of the learning experience. Animated pedagogical agents not only guide students through the learning process using verbal and non-verbal cues but also activate social responses by presenting engaging social cues, thereby triggering deep cognitive processing during learning. Digital characters and virtual personas are gradually becoming the focus of the education field, providing learners with an interactive learning environment. With the continuous advancement of AR technology, digital characters and virtual personas have become valuable educational resources. Through realistic agent characters, learners achieve a high level of integration with the learning environment, creating a rich, face-to-face learning interaction. Supported by cutting-edge technology, this study utilized Metahuman and Unreal Engine 5 to successfully develop four pedagogical agents, each with unique teaching roles, appearances, and personality types.  Throughout the research process, emphasis was placed on the active involvement of elementary school students. Through collaborative design with researchers, students actively participated in constructing the appearance of the pedagogical agent roles. This collaborative design not only aligns with the demands of the educational metaverse but also significantly enhances students' cognitive awareness of the pedagogical agent roles, meeting learners' expectations. In terms of design, cooperative inquiry techniques were employed as an effective method for co-designing among elementary school students. This not only increased the involvement of upper-grade elementary students in the agent design process but also provided a practical set of guidelines for future design projects. Therefore, this study not only offers valuable insights for the development of educational technology but also provides practical methods and tools for promoting student participation in the design process.