Virtual Characters Help K–12 Students Learn and Improve Motivation
A Meta-Analysis
Datos Bibliográficos
| ID | 21380997 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Noah L Schroeder (0000-0002-3281-2594, University of Florida, autor de correspondencia), Shan Zhang (0000-0001-5142-1559, University of Florida), Chris Davis Jaldi (0009-0000-2287-1198, Wright State University), Jessica R Gladstone (0000-0001-6030-6288, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign), Alexis A Lopez (0000-0002-4616-1091, Educational Testing Service), Emmanuel Dorley (0000-0002-8624-7295, University of Florida) |
| Año | 2025 |
| Fecha de publicación | 2025-11-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Sí |
| Open Access | Sí |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Revista | Review of Educational Research (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores de la revista | ISSN: 0034-6543 • E-ISSN: 1935-1046 |
| Editorial | American Educational Research Association (AERA) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.3102/00346543251389930 |
| OpenAlex | W4416823136 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Citas recibidas | 1 |
| Referencias citadas | 87 |
Pedagogical agents, conversational agents, motivational agents, and other virtual characters have long been used in educational technologies. We built and analyzed the most comprehensive dataset to date of studies examining how virtual characters influence K–12 students’ learning and learning-related outcomes using three-level meta-analytic procedures. The results from five three-level meta-analyses indicate that virtual characters helped K–12 students learn (g = 0.42, p g = 0.48, p = .001, k = 47) but did not have any significant effects on emotions ( g = 0.60, p = .20, k = 15), perceptions (g = 0.05, p = .88, k = 34), or cognitive load ( g = −0.09, p = .84, k = 5) compared to systems without a virtual character present. We conclude that virtual characters can provide a meaningful addition to learning environments for K–12 learners
Character (mathematics) · Cognition · Cognitive Load · Instructional simulation · Perception · Virtual learning environment · Virtual reality · AI in Service Interactions · Social Robot Interaction and HRI · Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
Research Methods in Education
Fitting three-level meta-analytic models in R
Social cues in multimedia learning
The magical number 4 in short-term memory
The Cognitive-Affective-Social Theory of Learning in digital Environments (CASTLE)
The Magical Mystery Four
Element Interactivity and Intrinsic, Extraneous, and Germane Cognitive Load
The Past, Present, and Future of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning
The applicability of Visible Learning to higher education.
Cognitive load theory and educational technology
The Case for Social Agency in Computer-Based Teaching
Principles Based on Social Cues in Multimedia Learning
Outlier and influence diagnostics for meta-analysis
Beyond Cold Conceptual Change
Measuring emotions in students’ learning and performance
The Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions
Which role models are effective for which students? A systematic review and four recommendations for maximizing the effectiveness of role models in STEM
Evaluating meta-analytic methods to detect selective reporting in the presence of dependent effect sizes.
Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning
Cognitive load theory, educational research, and instructional design
The PRISMA 2020 statement
The Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions
Conducting Meta-Analyses in R with the metafor Package
A systematic narrative review of agent persona on learning outcomes and design variables to enhance personification
Pedagogical agents in K-12 education
Pedagogical agents in learning videos
Emotional design of pedagogical agents
Pedagogical agent design for K-12 education
How we trust, perceive, and learn from virtual humans
Using a pedagogical agent to deliver conversational style instruction
Analysing the role of a pedagogical agent in psychological and cognitive preparatory activities
The zoomorphic effect
Do measures of cognitive load explain the spatial split-attention principle in multimedia learning environments? A systematic review
Twenty-five Years of Learning with Pedagogical Agents
Friendship with a robot
| Obras citantes distintas | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citas por año | 1 |
| Intervalo de citas | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Velocidad de citación | current |
| Altamente citado | No |
| Tipos de cita | Neutras: 1 |