Development of an educational support robot that encourages learners to improve their ability to apply and explore

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19909
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 61060:Kansei informatics-related
• Research Institution: Aichi Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: Jimenez Felix 愛知県立大学, 情報科学部, 准教授 (60781507)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 教育支援ロボット / 深層学習 / 困惑推定手法 / 認知的徒弟推進理論 / Human-Robot-Interaction

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we aim to develop a behavioral model based on the cognitive apprenticeship theory to enhance learners' application skills and curiosity. Additionally, we will create a method to estimate learners' confusion by analyzing their facial expressions and gestures, and integrate it into the behavioral model. Our goal is to create an educational support robot that can enhance learners' application skills and foster a spirit of inquiry. The experimental results demonstrate that this robot has the potential to improve university students' applied skills and curiosity, similar to conventional robots that provide learning support through button presses. Specifically, the robot successfully and autonomously estimated learners' confusion levels and provided appropriate support. However, we also observed that junior high school students quickly became disengaged with the collaborative learning experience with the robot, making it challenging to sustain long-term collaboration.

Free Research Field

感性ロボティクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近未来社会では，人には得られた知識を応用する力や，新たな知識を学びたいという探求心が必要とされる．応用力と探求心の向上を促すには，他者と協力しながら共に学ぶ合う協調学習が有効であるが，家庭学習などにおいて常に共同学習者を確保できるとは限らない．申請者は教育支援ロボットがこのニーズに応えられると着眼し，研究を進めている．本研究では，学習者に知識の応用力と探求心を向上させられる教育支援ロボットを開発する．本研究が完成することで，近未来社会で求められる能力の育成に本ロボットが資することでき，HRIの学術的な新展開に大きく寄与するとともに，教育支援ロボットの教育現場への導入・普及にも貢献できる．