AIED 2013 Simulated Learners Workshop

Abstract

In their landmark paper VanLehn, Ohlsson and Nason [1] delineate three roles for simulated learners in learning systems: (i) to provide an environment in which human teachers can practise; (ii) to embed simulated learners as part of the learning environment; (iii) to provide an environment for exploring and testing learning system design issues. The second of these roles has been much explored in AIED, with the development of pedagogical agents [2] that can serve, for example, as learning companions [3] or disturbing agents, or even as tutors. In contrast, there is a paucity of research into either the first or third role for simulated learners. The main research touching on the first role is the development of teachable agents in a reciprocal learning context [4], but this is more of a pedagogical strategy for learners than it is a practice environment for teachers. As to the third role, even though VanLehn et al strongly argued that simulated learners could be used to provide both quick and deep insights about learners and pedagogy at the formative evaluation stage of the design of a learning system, there has not been much subsequent research into this role for simulated learners. There has been recent interest in opening up this third line of research again.