British Journal of Educational Technology最新文献

{"title":"Unveiling patterns of socially shared regulation in relation to self-regulated learning: The roles of individual profiles and group dynamics in online collaborative learning","authors":"Tao He,&nbsp;Xintong Wu,&nbsp;Mingzhu Li,&nbsp;Ting Xia,&nbsp;Xiaoming Cao","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70082","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The rapid growth of massive online learning has intensified interest in self-regulated learning (SRL) and socially shared regulation of learning (SSRL), yet empirical insights into their interplay in online collaborative learning (OCL) remain limited. This study employed a three-layer analytical method combining cluster analysis, content analysis and complex network analysis to investigate how SSRL patterns evolve in relation to individual SRL profiles. Data from 60 undergraduates in a 16-week course included over 16,000 trace entries (e.g. posts, replies, peer feedback) were collected and analysed. Results revealed that (1) three profiles of SRL were identified, based on learners' time investment, study regularity and help-seeking behaviours; (2) groups with higher SSRL behavioural interaction displayed a more diverse and balanced role composition; and (3) distinct SSRL patterns emerged across SRL profiles over time. Individuals with high SRL profiles more frequently connected idea sharing with strategy using and process monitoring, while those with low SRL profiles relied on limited strategies focused mainly on idea sharing. These findings deepen the understanding of how individual regulation shapes group dynamics in online collaboration and suggest that instructional design should consider learners' SRL profiles when scaffolding their collaborative regulation processes.</p><p>\u0000 \u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 6","pages":"1498-1520"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149214633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Not all collaboration benefits from competition: Collaboration modes in a computational thinking game","authors":"Ching-Huei Chen,&nbsp;Kun Huang","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70081","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Digital game-based learning often leverages social dynamics to enhance engagement, yet the interplay between collaborative structures and competitive pressures remains complex. This study investigated different collaboration modes and how they interact with competition to influence computational thinking (CT) learning, group metacognition and in-game behaviours. Adopting a quasi-experimental approach with a 3 × 2 factorial design, 148 seventh-grade students were recruited via purposive sampling from intact classes. Participants played the game in pairs, with or without competition, in one of three collaboration modes: paired gaming on one computer, collaboration on respective computers with turn-taking or cooperation on respective computers with role assignment. Data were analysed using quantitative methods to assess learning outcomes and behavioural sequence analysis to identify interaction patterns. Results revealed significant main effects of collaboration mode and an interaction effect between collaboration and competition. The cooperative group with competition achieved the highest CT outcomes, and the paired gaming group with competition reported the highest level of group metacognition. In contrast, the collaborative group with competition had the lowest level of learning outcomes and group metacognition. Behavioural sequence analyses identified unique patterns that corroborate the quantitative findings. Notably, competition undermined the collaborative turn-taking mode while enhancing cooperative and paired gaming modes, highlighting the need to carefully match collaboration structures with competitive elements in designing game-based learning.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt;Practitioner notes&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What is already known about this topic\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Collaboration and competition are widely used in digital game-based learning (DGBL) to enhance engagement, motivation and problem-solving.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Prior studies have often examined collaboration and competition separately, leaving the interactive effects between these social dynamics on computational thinking (CT) and group metacognition underexplored.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 &lt;/ul&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What this paper adds\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Different collaboration modes significantly shaped CT learning and group metacognition.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Competition alone showed no benefits for CT learning or group metacognition.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Cooperative + comp","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 6","pages":"1471-1497"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/bjet.70081","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149214634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Authentic and functional dialogue with AI-based student avatars: Evidence from a practice-based teacher education program","authors":"Dennis Hauk,&nbsp;Franziska Menter,&nbsp;Jan-Michael Schorling","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70087","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Interactions with AI-based student avatars offer scalable opportunities to practice educational dialogue in practice-based teacher education (PBTE), yet little is known about the interaction quality of such simulations. This exploratory case study examined whether avatar-mediated exchanges provide authentic and functional learning opportunities for teacher education. &lt;i&gt;N&lt;/i&gt; = 21 preservice teachers completed a 10-minute, one-to-one conversation with an AI student avatar embedded in a PBTE module on leading educational dialogue. The study combined post-session questionnaires, system metadata, transcript coding and interviews. Participants perceived the exchanges as clearly functional and moderately authentic. Metadata indicated balanced participation, with slightly longer teacher turns. Transcript analyses likewise pointed to high functional dialogue alongside moderate authentic dialogue. Further speaker-differentiated analyses showed the avatar acting as a responsive counter-voice, while preservice teachers applied dialogic talk moves. Interview data supported these findings, with participants describing the avatar's language and stance as plausible and highlighting the avatar's contingent uptake of prior turns, while also noting limits to full classroom realism. Taken together, the findings suggest that avatar-mediated dialogues can provide a meaningful learning opportunity for novices in PBTE. Implications for the design and educational use of AI-based avatars in teacher education are discussed.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt;Practitioner notes&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What is already known about this topic\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Practice-based teacher education (PBTE) uses approximations of practice to help preservice teachers rehearse core teaching practices.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Dialogic pedagogy (eg, pressing for reasons, building on ideas and taking up students' contributions) supports deeper understanding and participation.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;AI-driven avatars are emerging as low-cost, scalable tools for simulated practice, but evidence on the quality of avatar–teacher interaction is still limited.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 &lt;/ul&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What this paper adds\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Implementation-based evidence that short, one-to-one conversations with an AI student avatar are experienced as clearly functional and moderately authentic by preservice teachers.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Mixed data (self-reports, system metadata, transcript coding, ","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 6","pages":"1564-1584"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/bjet.70087","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149214690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correcting automatically generated closed captions for online learning materials does not improve student learning outcomes (although students believe it does)","authors":"Peter J. Allen,&nbsp;Polly Barr,&nbsp;Kristopher G. Magee,&nbsp;Imogen van Jaarsveldt,&nbsp;Andy Wakefield","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Lecture capture is ubiquitous in higher education. Lecture capture recordings are typically accompanied by automatically generated closed captions that are sometimes corrected by humans. Students self-report that they benefit from captions, and particularly human-corrected captions. However, multimedia learning research suggests that simultaneous spoken and written information impairs learning. Experimental tests of the pedagogic benefits of captions in authentic higher education learning contexts are sparse. Consequently, we block randomised 144 undergraduate psychology students to 12 sets of lecture capture recordings with uncorrected, corrected or no captions then assessed their understanding of these materials with 12 quizzes. Our pre-registered analyses indicated that the differences between conditions were trivial (<i>M η</i>² = 0.01; |<i>M</i>| <i>δ</i> = 0.12) and that the captioning conditions to which students were randomised did not influence their quiz performance. Follow-up surveys re-confirmed that students believe captions are beneficial for multiple reasons (eg, improved comprehension and focus; study efficiency; accessibility), and prefer corrected over uncorrected captions, even though they do not always notice the difference. As they do not impair learning, do meet accessibility requirements and are valued by students, automatically generated captions should be used routinely. However, correcting them may not reflect an optimal use of resources.</p><p>\u0000 \u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 6","pages":"1423-1439"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/bjet.70074","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149214648","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hybrid intelligence feedback systems in design thinking development: Stage-specific insights on pedagogical effects and characteristics of generative AI and instructors","authors":"Xiao Fei","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Fostering design thinking relies on instructional feedback, yet traditional instructor-led methods face practical limitations. Although generative AI (GenAI) may offer promising solutions based on its advantages, existing studies predominantly characterise it as a performance-enhancing task assistant rather than as a feedback-providing pedagogical agent for the intrinsic growth of design thinking. The study compares the pedagogical effects on students' design thinking and students' perceptions of feedback systems by GenAI and human instructors. A within-class randomised experimental design was conducted with 80 undergraduates. Results indicate no significant overall difference in learning gains, but reveal respective stage-specific strengths: GenAI proved more effective during the ‘empathise’ stage, associated with superior timeliness and privacy, while human instructors excelled in the ‘prototype’ stage, valued for their contextual anchoring. Comparable effects yet complementary functions were observed in other stages, reinforcing GenAI's augmentative role instead of substitution. Findings collectively demonstrate that the effectiveness and strengths of feedback systems are not static and uniform but dynamically aligned with the learning demands across educational settings. Practical insights for designing hybrid intelligence feedback systems and theoretical implications were finally discussed.</p><p>\u0000 \u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 6","pages":"1440-1470"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149214657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From emotion regulation to academic success: A self-determination theory-based emotional agent-mediated approach","authors":"Xiao-Li Zheng,&nbsp;Zi-Ying Lyu,&nbsp;Shi-Ying Wang,&nbsp;Feng Wang,&nbsp;Xi Kong,&nbsp;Gwo-Jen Hwang,&nbsp;Yun-Fang Tu","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70083","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Emotion regulation has been recognized as a key factor affecting students' academic success. However, in conventional school settings, it is challenging to foster students' emotion regulation owing to the involvement of complex factors that might influence students' conscious and unconscious behaviours. To address this issue, a self-determination theory (SDT)-based emotional agent framework was proposed, and an emotional agent (EmoAgent), capable of proactively detecting students' emotional states and providing emotional regulation strategies to individual students in addition to the provision of conventional learning supports, was implemented. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an 8-week quasi-experiment was designed with 173 sixth graders from four classes taking the Information Technology course in a primary school. Two classes (87 students) comprised the experimental group (EG) which used the SDT-based emotional agent-mediated (SDT-EA) approach, while the other two classes (86 students) comprised the control group (CG) which learned with the SDT-based conventional agent (STD-CA), which is capable of providing learning supports but without considering emotional factors. The experimental results showed that (1) the SDT-EA approach significantly outperformed the SDT-CA approach in academic achievement; (2) the SDT-EA approach engaged students in positive emotional experiences, whereas the SDT-CA approach exposed students to more negative emotional experiences; (3) negative emotion was significantly negatively associated with academic achievement, moderated by the SDT-EA approach.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt;Practitioner notes&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What is already known about this topic?\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Within self-determination theory, if the three psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness are met, students’ intrinsic motivation is activated and in turn their academic emotion is regulated, which shapes their well-being, engagement and academic success.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;GenAI–human collaboration can facilitate students’ self-determined and personalized learning.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Most pedagogical agents tend to assist with personalized cognitive support rather than with emotion regulation or emotional support.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 &lt;/ul&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What does this paper add?\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Merging affective computing technology with GenAI, this study constructed an emotional agent with emotion sensing, recognition, feedback and regulation, providing emotional and cognitive supports.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 ","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 6","pages":"1521-1563"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149214660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A framework for characterising and capturing the quality of digital interactions and experiences in early childhood education","authors":"Steven J. Howard,&nbsp;Kate Lewis,&nbsp;Natalie Day,&nbsp;Lois Peach,&nbsp;Lisa K. Kervin","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Understanding what constitutes quality in digital interactions within Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings has become paramount in an increasingly technology-enabled world. This imperative has grown, with diverse ingrained positions about the role of digital technology in ECEC, and limited evidence and guidance to support beneficial educator use with young children. This study introduces a Digital Interactions Quality (DigIQ) framework and scale as a protocol to observe and index the quality of interactions and experiences that involve digital technologies with children in ECEC settings. Informed by established frameworks for observation that are rendered into quality ratings, this research introduces a scale that considers children's interests and agency, opportunities for engagement, interactions and conversations, and digital transformations of play and learning. To evaluate this scale we conducted observations in 50 pre-school classrooms, guided by the DigIQ and Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Well-being scales, supplemented by in-depth field notes to characterise the range of current digital practices. By characterising and capturing the multifaceted nature of ECEC practice quality when digital technologies are involved, this framework aims to support educators, policymakers and researchers in making informed decisions about digital integration in ECEC. The study underscores the need for differentiation in understanding quality in digital contexts to ensure use of digital technology serves as a meaningful extension and transformation to what traditional early childhood education practices already offer to children's outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 5","pages":"1299-1319"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/bjet.70063","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148696528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"AI support in self-regulated learning: A decade of technological evolution and meta-analysis","authors":"Jun Xu,&nbsp;Yuying Luo,&nbsp;Chengliang Wang,&nbsp;Mengji Wang,&nbsp;Yonghe Wu","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70058","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70058","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This meta-analysis systematically examines 35 empirical studies (2013–2025) investigating artificial intelligence applications within Zimmerman's cyclical model of self-regulated learning (SRL). Three principal discoveries emerge: (1) Technological progression has evolved through three co-existing paradigms: rule-based architectures, data-driven adaptive systems and generative AI ecosystems, that demonstrate increasingly sophisticated capabilities for human-AI collaboration. (2) While AI-supported SRL interventions yield a moderate overall effect size (<i>g</i> = 0.507), their impact is uneven; AI is significantly more effective during the task performance phase (<i>g</i> = 0.574) than in the preparatory forethought phase (<i>g</i> = 0.401). Notably, generative AI shows markedly superior efficacy across all phases (e.g. <i>g</i> = 0.709 for forethought, <i>g</i> = 0.938 for performance), though high heterogeneity suggests these effects are heavily contingent on specific instructional designs. (3) Moderator analysis identifies optimal contexts in secondary education, natural science disciplines, fully online settings and interventions of medium duration (2–10 weeks), while also revealing that effects are substantially larger when measured by behavioural traces compared to self-reports. Critically, these findings highlight a persistent performance-competence divide, suggesting that AI's capacity to scaffold immediate task performance may outpace its current ability to cultivate durable, transferable self-regulatory competence. The study discusses the implications of this divide and proposes a research agenda focused on designing AI systems that foster genuine learner autonomy.</p><p>\u0000 \u0000 </p>","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 5","pages":"1191-1220"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148696298","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The synergy of pedagogical agents and metaphorical design: Reducing psychological distance to enhance video learning","authors":"Ke Xu,&nbsp;Qihui Zhang,&nbsp;Yi Zhang,&nbsp;Hongmin Xu,&nbsp;Zhongling Pi,&nbsp;Jiumin Yang","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70064","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;The effectiveness of video-based learning lies not in perfecting isolated elements such as pedagogical agents (PAs) or metaphorical content, but in their synergistic integration. While both have been shown to independently enhance learning outcomes, their combined potential remains underexplored. In this study, 129 learners engaged with biology content in a 2 × 2 between-subjects design to examine the effects of PAs type (real vs. virtual) and metaphorical design (no metaphor vs. metaphor) on learners' performance, attention, comprehension, psychological distance and agent evaluation and the mediating role of psychological distance. Metaphorical design used familiar concepts to make abstract biological content more relatable, whereas the no-metaphor condition presented the content in its abstract form. Results showed that both virtual pedagogical agents (VPAs) and metaphorical design improved learning performance, as they both reduced learners' attention allocation to the agent. Metaphorical design specifically increased cognitive effort, as indicated by larger pupil size, while also reducing spatial distance and enhancing VPAs' perceived human-likeness. Additionally, VPAs reduced hypothetical distance. Spatial and hypothetical distances, as well as learning comprehension, mediated the effects of the two factors on learning performance. Temporal distance mediated the interaction effect of PAs type and metaphorical design on credibility. The study concludes that both VPAs and metaphorical design enhance learning effectiveness and reduce psychological distance. Metaphorical design compensates for VPAs' lack of realism by boosting their perceived human-likeness and credibility. These findings suggest that instructional designers should prioritize not only the visual realism of VPAs but also metaphor-based content design to create more immersive, effective learning experiences.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt;Practitioner notes&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What is already known about this topic\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Video-based learning typically involves either real-human instructors or virtual pedagogical agents (VPAs). VPAs are increasingly used because they reduce distraction and allow scalable, consistent delivery; though they provide lower social presence.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Research has mainly focused on agent visual design, while their pedagogical integration with instructional content has received far less attention.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Metaphorical design supports learning in videos, yet little is known about its combined effects with agents or the mechanisms involved.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 &lt;/ul&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 5","pages":"1272-1298"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148696347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing online learning outcomes through virtual companion AI: The role of identity anthropomorphism","authors":"Tiansheng Xia,&nbsp;Minyan Tan,&nbsp;Jiayue Guo","doi":"10.1111/bjet.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.70072","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;p&gt;Anthropomorphic strategies can improve learners' performance in artificial intelligence (AI) learning environments, yet their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Grounded in social presence theory, this study introduces the concept of identity anthropomorphism and adopts multimodal learning analytics (MMLA), combining questionnaires, electroencephalography and eye tracking to examine its effects on learning outcomes. Seventy participants completed online learning tasks under three conditions: identity-anthropomorphised AI, non-identity-anthropomorphised AI and human companionship. Results indicated that: (1) identity-anthropomorphised AI significantly improved learning outcomes compared to non-anthropomorphised AI and performed comparably to human companionship; (2) social presence and positive emotions sequentially mediated this effect, such that social presence generated a positive net impact only when it evoked positive emotions; (3) learners in the humanities and social sciences were more sensitive than science and engineering learners to the social presence evoked by identity anthropomorphism; (4) although identity anthropomorphism diverted some attention, its emotional benefits offset this disadvantage. These findings extend the mechanism of AI-induced social presence from interactive behaviours to static identity cues, support anthropomorphic design in educational AI and employ MMLA to complement learning theory. This study also highlights that the long-term deployment of such systems should account for potential risks, such as excessive emotional dependence.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;/section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;section&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;div&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;h3&gt;Practitioner notes&lt;/h3&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What is already known about this topic?\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Online learning environments encounter challenges such as heightened learners' isolation, low engagement, and susceptibility to distraction, with social presence recognised as an important factor in mitigating these issues.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Existing research on AI identity is still in its early stages, where the identity information typically assigned to AI remains relatively limited.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;Multimodal learning analytics (MMLA) leverages multisource data to provide more interpretable evidence for exploring complex learning processes. Effectively integrating MMLA with learning theory offers robust support for further theoretical development.&lt;/li&gt;\u0000 &lt;/ul&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;What this paper adds?\u0000\u0000 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;\u0000 \u0000 &lt;li&gt;This study introduces the concept of identity anthropomorphism and shows that static identity cues of AI can evoke learners' sen","PeriodicalId":48315,"journal":{"name":"British Journal of Educational Technology","volume":"57 5","pages":"1395-1419"},"PeriodicalIF":13.0,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148696399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}