In this study, we attempt to specify the cognitive support behavior of a previously designed embodied conversational agent coach that provides learning support to low-literates. Three knowledge gaps are identified in the existing work: an incomplete specification of the behaviors that make up ‘support,’ an incomplete specification of how this support can be personalized, and unclear speech recognition rules. We use the socio-cognitive engineering method to update our foundation of knowledge with new online banking exercises, low-level scaffolding and user modeling theory, and speech recognition. We then refine the design of our coach agent by creating comprehensive cognitive support rules that adapt support based on learner needs (the ‘Generalized’ approach) and attune the coach’s support delay to user performance in previous exercises (the ‘Individualized’ approach). A prototype is evaluated in a 3-week within- and between-subjects experiment. Results show that the specified cognitive support is effective: Learners complete all exercises, interact meaningfully with the coach, and improve their online banking self-efficacy. Counter to hypotheses, the Individualized approach does not improve on the Generalized approach. Whether this indicates suboptimal operationalization or a deeper problem with the Individualized approach remains as future work.

中文翻译：

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使用脚手架为低文化学习者提供正式的数字教练支持

在这项研究中，我们试图详细说明先前设计的为低文化水平提供学习支持的具身会话代理教练的认知支持行为。在现有工作中确定了三个知识差距：构成“支持”的行为的不完整规范，如何对这种支持进行个性化的不完整规范，以及不明确的语音识别规则。我们使用社会认知工程方法通过新的网上银行练习、低级脚手架和用户建模理论以及语音识别来更新我们的知识基础。然后，我们通过创建全面的认知支持规则来改进我们的教练代理的设计，这些规则根据学习者的需求（“通用”方法）调整支持，并将教练的支持延迟调整到之前练习中的用户表现（“个性化”方法）。在为期 3 周的受试者内和受试者间实验中评估原型。结果表明，特定的认知支持是有效的：学习者完成所有练习，与教练进行有意义的互动，提高他们的网上银行自我效能感。与假设相反，个性化方法并没有改进通用方法。这是否表明次优操作或个性化方法的更深层次问题仍然是未来的工作。在为期 3 周的受试者内和受试者间实验中评估原型。结果表明，特定的认知支持是有效的：学习者完成所有练习，与教练进行有意义的互动，提高他们的网上银行自我效能感。与假设相反，个性化方法并没有改进通用方法。这是否表明次优操作或个性化方法的更深层次问题仍然是未来的工作。在为期 3 周的受试者内和受试者间实验中评估原型。结果表明，特定的认知支持是有效的：学习者完成所有练习，与教练进行有意义的互动，提高他们的网上银行自我效能感。与假设相反，个性化方法并没有改进通用方法。这是否表明次优操作或个性化方法的更深层次问题仍然是未来的工作。