Virtual agent design factors for the 21st century learners: A Kansei approach

Abstract

In recent years, Virtual Learning has gained wide popularity among the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to promote holistic education. Reviews have proven that Virtual Learning has proliferated over the years and it has created a dynamic learning culture among the 21st Century learners. These young learners from the digital age have different learning styles and vernaculars as they are much more diverse. It is also noted that it is challenging to keep these learners engaged in learning due to those differences. Therefore, it is vital to identify a learning tool that caters to these young learners from a diverse background and simultaneously optimize their learning satisfaction. To address these momentous issues, this research study aims to identify the design factors or specifications of a Virtual Agent (VA) deployed in the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) to maximize learner’s satisfaction. In this exploratory study, the researchers have adapted Kansei Engineering (KE) approach that uses the quantitative analysis to identify the design factors of Virtual Agent. The respondents are undergraduate students from a HEI in Malaysia (N=107). The findings suggest that KE modus operandi had successfully paved the way for an effective design of VA that has high aesthetic value and identified attractiveness and expertness as key factors in VA design.