April 18, 2001

Interactive Learning with Intelligent Animated Agents
Ron Cole, CU Center for Spoken Language Research

Abstract.

The idea of inventing interactive systems that use intelligent animated computer characters to help people learn is pretty seductive. What if animated characters could be created that showed great sensitivity to the learner and used conversational skills to interact with learners like sensitive, caring and effective teachers?

We will discuss this vision, describe technologies required to invent such agents and systems, research challenges that must be addressed, and work underway at Colorado that represents initial steps toward this vision.