Evaluation of a Speech-driven, Anthropomorphic Agent in the Interface of a Web-based Intelligent Tutoring System

1 Maria Moundridou, University of Piraeus, Department of Informatics, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou St., Piraeus 18534, Greece, [email protected] 2 Maria Virvou, University of Piraeus, Department of Informatics, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou St., Piraeus 18534, Greece, [email protected] Abstract  This paper describes the evaluation of a speech-driven anthropomorphic agent that has been embodied in the interface of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS). The agent was evaluated during an experiment in terms of the effect that it could have on students’ learning and motivation. The participants in the experiment were divided into two groups: half of them worked with a version of the ITS which embodied the agent and the rest worked with an agent-less version. The results from this study seem to confirm the hypothesis that a pedagogical agent incorporated in an ITS can enhance students’ learning and motivation.