Design of Pedagogical agents: the learning styles, the emotions and the color

Ana Lilia Laureano-CrucesLourdes Sánchez-Guerrero

Perla Velasco-SantosMartha Mora-Torres

Javier Ramírez-RodríguezUniversidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco

Mexicoclc@azc.uam.mxlsg@azc.uam.mx

pvelasco@azc.uam.mxmmt@azc.uam.mxjararo@azc.uam.mx

Abstract: Current technological advance opens up a range of possibilities in the educational area, to which new technologies have been incorporated to improve it. Emphasizes the participation of different areas of knowledge, to the moment on the sidelines. Affective computing in conjunction with graphic design offers the ability to enhance the visual impact of interfaces and avatars by applying his theories, including the use of color and the role of emotions during the interaction. This work focuses on a proposal in which color psychology with learning styles is related by own of each characteristic. Another important part of this proposal is that depending on the resulting learning style may be related to a personality. This will allow modeling an avatar, including emotional characteristics both in their behavior and appearance. Keywords: Affective Computing,pedagogical agents,avatars,learning styles,smart education systems,psychology of color,graphic design.

1. Introduction

The intelligent learning systems (ILS) are comprised by four components: 1) module of the domain or module expert, 2) student Model, 3) module tutorial and 4) the interface); being the interface the bridge of communication in the system with the user and point to the attention of this work (Laureano-Cruces, Arriaga, 2000). An important feature of the new information and communication technologies (ICT) is centered on the number of senses that are capable of stimulating; some of them even favor the retention of the information (Cabero, 1994).

The research on visualization of information has gained relevance in the sense of understanding of information proving of data; in the specific case, the emotions that avatars can transmit are very important (Laureano-Cruces, Rodríguez-García, 2012), due to relations of empathy they can produce. There is also a relation with the concept of cognitive ergonomics.

When we talk about cognitive ergonomics we refer to the aspect of the relation that keeps a person and the system of work. Being this system of work the device where the person works, through the knowledge of it. (Salmerón, Fajardo, reeds, 2004).

Under this perspective, a person has to perceive the stimuli of environment (artifact), in order to: receive: 1) information, 2) decide what actions develop, 3) transmit information and 4) perform tasks. The above in the case study contextualized in the avatar that hereinafter will be called pedagogical agent.

Pedagogical agents through ICT represent the new generations of interfaces for the ILS. The interface is considered as a simulation environment in the sense that it is the place where the inputs and outputs of the artifact have representation. Its basic responsibility is the communication between the ILS and the student, but to be the means of exit of the actions of the SEI, also has a didactics responsibility (Laureano et al., 2000).

This work proposes the design of a pedagogical agent using color as the variable measurable of learning styles. In order to achieve this sets an appropriate relationship between color and style of learning. The above allows establishing the mechanisms to identify the learning style.

The interface is so important that we could think of it as a function of the senses that capture during its operation when interacting with any user. According to the domain of teaching the potential of the interface must be maximized, using the most appropriate means (video, audio, etc.) for the better understanding of the concepts or management skills.

In the case of study the preference of a particular color will provide us with guidelines for designing and modeling the appropriate pedagogical agent that matches with the learning style of the user. The above in order to create a virtual environment more comfortable that allows a better interaction between the device and the user, enhancing the teaching-learning process.

2. Virtual Learning Environments

The use of virtual learning environments for online education is becoming a common practice among educational institutions and private companies. At present the virtual learning environments have had significant improvements in its usability (Parizotto & Hammond, 2005). However, in the case of the development of virtual learning environments, most of the times, is done on an instinctive way, without an in-depth analysis of the educative factors involved in the process.

With this in mind, we recognize that it is necessary to have the participation of experts in different areas of knowledge: 1) experts in the subject, to define and prioritize the contents; 2) experts in education, to explore and establish the appropriate strategies for learning (Mora-Torres, Laureano-Cruces, Gamboa-Rodríguez, Ramírez-Rodríguez, Sánchez-Guerrero, 2014), 3) experts in interface design (Laureano-Cruces, Acuña-Garduño, Sánchez-Guerrero, Ramirez-Rodríguez, Mora-Torres, Silva-López, 2014), and 4) experts in artificial intelligence (AI); (Laureano-Cruces, et al., 2000; Laureano-Cruces, Ramirez-Rodríguez, Arriaga, Escarela-Pérez, 2006), who will propose the best use of the resources available and to ensure adequate browsing.

According to Cañas Delgado (2004), the progress that we are seeing in the design of interfaces is currently so fast that is forcing the cognitive ergonomists to investigate the interaction in new contexts for the human being. As are the virtual interfaces where the input-output devices allow interaction experiences that may exceed the natural capacities of human beings. With the personal computer interaction occurs through the senses of sight and hearing fundamentally. However, in the virtual reality environments, the human being can interact with the machines, for example, through the vestibular sense that informs the brain about the balance of the human body (Laureano-Cruces, Acuña-Garduño, Sánchez-Guerrero, Ramirez-Rodríguez, Mora-Torres, Silva-López, 2014).

According to Fitzgerald (1998), the new generation in software technology with a focus on education will have great power including features of IA, interactive 3D in an environment of immersion, support animations and animated intelligent agents (Laureano-Cruces, 2004).

3. Pedagogical Agents

The animated pedagogical agents are the latest generation in the design of human-computer interfaces. Its appearance more accurately simulates an animated character or even to a human. Have a guide to applications and conventions of how it should be his personality and his appearance. Are autonomous agents (Laureano-Cruces et al., 2006) created to support learning when interacting with students in the interactive learning environments (Nunes, Fraga, Woszezenki, Oliveira, Francisco, Machado, Nogueira, Notargiacomo, 2002; Velasco-Santos, Laureano-Cruces, Mora-Torres, Sánchez-Guerrero, 2008).

The credibility of these agents generates confidence; the latter is supported by the visual quality of the agent and in the behaviors that emulate human behaviors (Lester, Stone, 1997; Jaques, Vicari, 2007).

The animated pedagogical agents facilitate learning in computer learning environments (Sánchez-Guerrero, Laureano-Cruces, Mora-Torres, Ramirez-Rodriguez, 2012). These agents have animated characters that respond to the actions performed by the user. In addition, there is the modality where the latter have the ability to move within the learning context. Providing in this way useful functions within the learning scenarios (Rickel, Jhonston,1997).

A pedagogical agent can be invaluable for the user to know if their actions are inappropriate or incorrect, in which case the agent can intervene. The pedagogical agents show enjoyable interventions during the teaching-learning process, being able to intervene with tips, didactic tactics, introductions and even calls for attention (Laureano, 2004; Laureano-Cruces, Ramirez-Rodríguez, Mora-Torres, Arriaga, Escarela-Pérez, 2010).

4. Learning styles

Refers to the best way to teach and learn a specific domain. On this issue there is a great amount of theory developed within the field of education by educators and psychologists. We all have developed to a greater or lesser extent, all learning styles, with emphasis on any one of them, however, are dynamic, during the learning of a topic.

When they are adopted to the teaching of the various domains, we turn to previously reported experiences in order to develop techniques that in one way or another give better results. For example it is known the ability of engineering students to capture in problem significant implicit visual aspects and use them in solving it. In this case the use of visual methods would highlight these features.

Currently you can use techniques to learn more about visualization and therefore to guide students toward the development of this capability, allowing them to better learning. According to Alonso, Gallego, Honey (1994), learning styles, are learned when interacting with others, and also confirm, modify or adapt.

Learning styles include cognitive, emotional and physiological traits that serve as relatively stable indicators of how learners perceive, interact and respond to their learning environments Keefe (1988). According to Honey and Mumford (1986), the learning style of each individual causes different responses and learning behaviors, included in the following four:

1. Activist: involve themselves without bias in new experiences, are open-minded.2. Reflector: consider experiences, perspectives observe, collect and analyze data before reaching any

conclusions.3. Theorist: adapt and integrate observations into complex but logically sound theories. They tend to be

perfectionists.4. Pragmatist: practically apply ideas

5. Emotions in the teaching-learning process

Within the scope of the AI there is a very new area called affective computing, which explains the importance of emotions in human cognition (decision making, perception, human interaction, intelligence); applying this approach to the ILS is essential to enhance the effectiveness. This is reflected in the design of a cognitive model of affects that occur; as a cognitive representation of the emotions experienced during the teaching-learning process. The model obtained is linked to the mechanism of reasoning ILS, which carries information regarding student performance (Mora-Torres, Laureano-Cruces, Velasco Santos 2011; Mora-Torres, et al, 2014)

Our point of interest is focused on human interaction, related to the credibility of the pedagogical agent. In this light it is necessary to ensure that their behavior and appearance match the mood of the user. One of the parameters included in the student model is the learning style, and it is this point which this research work focuses.

This aims to increase the performance of the pedagogical agent which be used as part of the interface in an ILS.

6. Color Psychology

The color has taken great relevance in graphic design so much that has become a basic element. Color is able to attract attention by itself and can be used to cause immediate emotional responses in viewers. It can help organize the elements of a page, driving the attention of one element to another, disconnect elements or group items of similar nature, catalog certain kinds of information and facilitate the receptor obtaining the information needed.

Color is the first thing we perceive and react in specific ways according to specific colors; is what is called symbolism of colors, however is far from being a universal concept. It is important to note that our reaction to the colors depends on cultural conditioning, fashion, age and of course, personal preferences (Ambrose, Harris, 2004).

Each color has its own characteristics, communicates, affects perception and can radically change the viewer's response. Any color is meaningless and its effect is determined by the context, the color of a dress is valued differently than a room, a food or as an art object.

The context gives us the guidelines to infer whether a color is nice and correct, or false and disagreeable. The color may appear in every imaginable context, it is ambivalent, arouses positive and negative feelings (Heller, 2008). This quality is studied in color psychology.

Below is the list of colors and their attributes, according to the psychology of color:

Red: the color of all passions, from love to hate. It is the color of kings and communism; joy and danger. Send a message of danger, excitement, passion, strength, but also of aggressiveness and victory. This color stimulates so much that can help make quick decisions.

Yellow: the color more contradictory. Optimism and jealousy. The fun color, understanding and betrayal. The yellow of gold and yellow of sulfur. Symbolically, it is the most cheerful color of the spectrum conveys the sense of optimism, joy and spontaneity. The association with the sun gives it a luminous aura evokes wisdom, intelligence and imagination.

Orange: the color of fun and Buddhism. Exotic and striking but understated. It has the energy and vitality of red, while the joy and excitement of yellow. That makes it a strong color that suggests dynamism, spontaneity and creativity. Orange is a stimulating, energizing and welcoming, attractive and sociable appearance color.

Green: the color of fertility, hope and the bourgeoisie. It may represent the sacred or poison. It is perceived with the intermediate color. Green is synonymous with life and growth, but is also the most relaxing and soothing spectrum color. Dark green is associated with stability and growth, success and suggest a high social status. Green is the color of international security. Green also evokes mercy, kindness and generosity.

Blue: is the preferred color. Color of sympathy, harmony and fidelity, despite being cold and distant. Although surprise many, it is the color of the feminine, and bonds of spiritual virtues. The range of pale blue is calming and soothing, almost all the associations we make with the blue are positive. Blue is an ideal place to express sincerity and build confidence tone. It is also stimulating and invites conversation. The Navy, in particular, represents fidelity and reliability, leads to respect and integrity.

Violet: purple from power to the color of theology, magic, feminism. Violet has a protective, passionate and generous character. This color suggests sensations highly variable depending on its shades. Mauve, or less dark violet, also suggests wealth and high social rank. Purple is spiritual, mysterious, with a decent and strict side.

Pink: sweet and delicate, outrageous and pretentious. It has masculine and feminine qualities. Pink promotes affability and appeases the aggression and temper. Pink is a passive color by excellence that promotes kindness and decreases aggression toward others or to oneself.

Brown: color cosiness of the ordinary and foolishness. Represents stability, is the color of the earth and the great protectors trees, it brings a sense of wellbeing recalling the land and home. Brown evokes confidence, sincerity and work.

Gray: the color of boredom, antiquated and cruelty. Gray is the very definition of the neutral, evokes sadness, anxiety and reverie, and represents the absence of emotions. The gray is associated with wisdom and maturity, and can express opulence. Gray is conformist, always looking for adaptation, it depends on the colors with which he surrounds himself. The gray lacks character.

Once this collection has been made, it has to incorporate more colors and translate the results into one of the four profiles proposed by Honey and Mumford (1986). On the one hand we create a friendlier test and adapt other questions to the sector will study.

7. Other colors test

According to Harris and Ambrose (2004), other test capable of analyzing the character of a person with only order the colors from our favorite to the least we like it. This test will present an optimal result, as long as the people have voluntarily submitted to it.

The best known test is Lüscher, mentioned in (Harris et al., 2004), which uses eight cards, each a different color blue, red, green, yellow, purple, gray, brown and black. He insures us that it is possible to discover hidden structures of personality, even criminal tendencies.

According to Lüscher, each of these colors has implied a feeling or attitude:

• Red: the activity, dynamism and passion.• Blue: harmony and satisfaction.• Green: the ability to impose and perseverance.• Yellow: optimism and desire for progress.• Violet: vanity and egocentrism• Brown: the physical needs sensuality and comfort.• Gray: neutrality.• Black: denial and aggression.

8. Design pedagogical agent

The general design model consists of six phases: 1) case, where the user profile is defined and from it, is created 2) the most appropriate interface design, including the prototype pedagogical agent; 3) in the problem, user requirements are analyzed individually, in this case we will use learning styles as a guideline; 4) the proposed profiles are created by combining learning styles and color and how these can be represented graphically; with them some proposals are created; 5) for the project the most appropriate option is chosen and the final prototypes of the interface and the tutor are created; 6) in the embodiment, the animations of the four tutors are created: the gestures of the face, hands, head and even hair to finally be inserted into the interface;

To create the interfaces, color palettes are created based on colors that give us the character required in each profile according to particular learning style, then apply them to the interface.

In the case of ILS, we take the characteristics of learning styles and variations of our female tutor proposed; with emphasis on the haircut, clothes and color of it.

9. Results

Being one learning style of the student module parameters and knowing its relevance in this work a suitable mechanism that will allow us to learn easy and simple learning style user is proposed. In order to design a pedagogical agent, where her: 1) attitudes, 2) appearance, and 3) the different attitudes during his intervention, be empathetic with the user.

Table 1. Characteristics of the personality of the avatar based on learning style.

Learning Style

Features

Activist + Yellow, Orange and Red

Very cheerful person and talkative extrovert. Someone who likes to investigate and can take risky decisions. You can make jokes, and is very restless.

Reflector + Pink, Brown, Purple and Green

Introverted person who likes to think twice things, take into account the details and looking for answers. Talk little; it is very quiet but very reliable.

Theorist + Blue and Gray

Introspective person, very methodical and critical. The reason above all, thinks before speaking. Conservative but prefers worry of knowledge before being fashionable. He likes to explain and demonstrate with examples.

Pragmatist + Brown, Red, Yellow and Green

Extroverted person but very relaxed in his acting Person. Talk necessary, always to the point. Efficient when it is presented. It is based on facts and not on assumptions. It is very nice and gives confidence maturity air surrounding it. They are the center of attention and love. Taking also feature perfectionists.

From the characteristics of learning styles and psychology of each color, we have created a list of similarities and the result is presented in Figure 1.

Figure1. List of colors of each learning style.

Once we have defined similarities profiles for each learning style are created. In Table 1, are the characteristics that, we apply to pedagogical agents.

Characteristics of Table1, apply to: body language, intonation, teaching strategy, or even image. In Figure 2, we show some proposals of profiles that can be applied to the haircut.

Active Pragmatic

Hairstyle short, few people dare to use. youthful and casual clothing

Hairstyle that attracts attention something ostentatious.

Very chic clothing trend.

Theorist Reflexive

Hairstyle carefree, uncomplicated.executive but very comfortable clothes.

Hairstyle that does not attract attention without complications.

Rome romantic and feminine style.

Figure 2. Haircut samples of pedagogical agent; based on the different learning styles.10. Conclusions

One goal of artificial intelligence is to seek the comfort of human beings in their various activities, and this objective joins to design as part of that comfort involves anthropomorphism of spaces. Simulate a process of teaching and learning one to one is a complex behavior that involves a process of communication between two agents. And there are many points where a human tutor is exceeded by a ILS. This paper develops a design of pedagogical agents that takes into account the different learning styles. This is made through color and possible excitement caused by the display of the different personalities (as quantifiable feature). This work allows for a more sophisticated interaction in ILS, not only by having a personalized intervention in cognitive aspect, but also because it proposes a customized interface for interaction; giving guideline to the process of cognitive ergonomics. As it mentioned at the beginning, learning styles are one of the parameters in the model of student and a decisive factor for choosing an educational strategy. In this paper the color offers the opportunity to simplify the mechanisms to find the learning style of users. This allows creating, the personality of the pedagogical agent.

Acknowledgement: This work is part of Divisional research project Computing Soft and Applications in the line intelligent e-learning at the same university (http://kali.azc.uam.mx/clc/)

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