This SGER is for the purpose of convening a workshop to set standards for the development of virtual agents for education and training. NSF and other agencies have supported research projects to develop virtual agent technology in automated learning and training systems. Previous research projects have concentrated on the technical aspects of the agents that will make them effective tutors or trainers - e.g. aspects such as engagement, natural dialog, affect (e.g. emotional gestures and expressions), etc. This SGER is timely because many of the agent technologies are ripe for deployment in larger systems. In order for such deployment to be effective, computer standards for the agents must be developed so they can be easily integrated into existing tutoring and training systems. The international workshop will begin the process of developing such standards. Members from the agent research community, learning technologists, and representatives of the standards groups for learning and training technologies will participate in this workshop.
The intellectual merit of this award is in the development of a framework for standards for virtual agents. The broader impact of the award is in the possible utilization of the standards for broad dissemination of virtual agent technology.
The workshop will be held on the campus of Georgetown University in Washington DC in 2007.
