A gender matching effect in learning with pedagogical agents in an immersive virtual reality science simulation

TY - JOUR

T1 - A gender matching effect in learning with pedagogical agents in an immersive virtual reality science simulation

AU - Makransky, Guido

AU - Wismer, Philip

AU - Mayer, Richard E.

PY - 2019/6

Y1 - 2019/6

N2 - The main objective of this study is to determine whether boys and girls learn better when the characteristics of the pedagogical agent are matched to the gender of the learner while learning in immersive virtual reality (VR). Sixty‐six middle school students (33 females) were randomly assigned to learn about laboratory safety with one of two pedagogical agents: Marie or a drone, who we predicted serve as a role models for females and males, respectively. The results indicated that there were significant interactions for the dependent variables of performance during learning, retention, and transfer, with girls performing better with Marie (d = 0.98, d = 0.67, and d = 1.03; for performance, retention, and transfer, respectively) and boys performing better with the drone (d = −0.41, d = −0.45, d = −0.23, respectively). The results suggest that gender‐specific design of pedagogical agents may play an important role in VR learning environments.

AB - The main objective of this study is to determine whether boys and girls learn better when the characteristics of the pedagogical agent are matched to the gender of the learner while learning in immersive virtual reality (VR). Sixty‐six middle school students (33 females) were randomly assigned to learn about laboratory safety with one of two pedagogical agents: Marie or a drone, who we predicted serve as a role models for females and males, respectively. The results indicated that there were significant interactions for the dependent variables of performance during learning, retention, and transfer, with girls performing better with Marie (d = 0.98, d = 0.67, and d = 1.03; for performance, retention, and transfer, respectively) and boys performing better with the drone (d = −0.41, d = −0.45, d = −0.23, respectively). The results suggest that gender‐specific design of pedagogical agents may play an important role in VR learning environments.

KW - immersive virtual reaility

KW - multimedia learning

KW - pedagogical agents

KW - social agency theory

KW - virtual learning

U2 - 10.1111/jcal.12335

DO - 10.1111/jcal.12335

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0266-4909

VL - 35

SP - 349

EP - 358

JO - Journal of Computer Assisted Learning

JF - Journal of Computer Assisted Learning

IS - 3

ER -