Design Decisions for Virtual Characters in the DynaLearn Interactive Learning Environment
ISEI7 Conference Paper (International Conference on Ecological Informatics)
In this contribution we report on how we designed, created and evaluated a cast of virtual characters for the interactive learning environment "DynaLearn".
Our goal was to create characters that enable learners to interact with the different parts of the software in an easy, intuitive, unobtrusive as well as motivating and engaging way. Furthermore, ecological topics like cause-effect relations in ecosystems covered by the software's learning contents were meant to be picked up by the character design for consistency and completeness. The outcome of our design phase in this context is a set of cartoonish humanized hamsters. By choosing animals in general, we connect the virtual characters and ecological topics so learners can interact with natural life forms on screen. When using the software features of teachable agents and adoptable pets, this reflection of the human-environmental interaction becomes even stronger. Hamsters do not only pick up the idea of virtual pets literally, but knowing about the danger of extinction of some hamster genera brings up the issue of humans' environmental responsibility again. ...
Links und Identifikation
Zitiervorschlag
Bühling, R., Wißner, M., Häring, M., Mehlmann, G., & André, E. (2010). Design Decisions for Virtual Characters in the DynaLearn Interactive Learning Environment. In Book of Abstracts of the 7th International Conference on Ecological Informatics (pp. 144–145). Ghent University, Belgium. http://www.isei7.ugent.be/