Dr. James Lester has partnered with researchers from NC State's College of Education to obtain funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) of $605,436 for their research proposal titled “Bayesian Pedagogical Agents for Dynamic High-Performance Inquiry-Based Science Learning Environments.” 

 

Joining Lester on this collaborative effort are Drs. Hiller Spires and John Nietfeld of Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education.

 

The award will run from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009.

 

Research Abstract - Pedagogical agents are embodied software agents that have emerged as a promising vehicle for promoting effective learning. The proposed work has two complementary technology and learning thrusts. 

 

First, it will develop a full suite of Bayesian pedagogical agent technologies that leverage probabilistic models of inference to systematically reason about the multitude of factors that bear on tutorial decision making in dynamic high-performance inquiry-based science learning environments.

 

Second, it will provide a comprehensive account of the cognitive processes and results of interacting with Bayesian pedagogical agents in inquiry-based science learning by conducting extensive empirical studies of learning processes and outcomes.