{"id":68038,"date":"2023-05-02T01:10:48","date_gmt":"2023-05-02T05:10:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=68038"},"modified":"2023-05-02T01:10:48","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T05:10:48","slug":"kids-cartoon-characters-that-use-ai-to-customize-responses-help-children-learn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/kids-cartoon-characters-that-use-ai-to-customize-responses-help-children-learn\/","title":{"rendered":"Kids cartoon characters that use AI to customize responses help children learn"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

When the main character of a kids TV show can both listen and respond to viewers by using advances in artificial intelligence,\u00a0youngsters learn more<\/a>\u00a0from the program. That\u2019s what my colleagues and I found in a series of peer-reviewed studies.<\/p>\n

We are partnering with\u00a0PBS Kids<\/a>\u00a0to incorporate conversational AI like Siri or Alexa into a popular science show for preschool-aged children called \u201cElinor Wonders Why<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the interactive version we created, the main character, a curious bunny named Elinor, poses questions to children. She then listens to their responses and replies with feedback specific to their answers, or provides additional clues when needed.<\/p>\n

For example, in an episode about liquid thickness \u2013 or viscosity \u2013 Elinor and her friends try to get ketchup out of a bottle by shaking and squeezing it, but the ketchup remains stuck inside. Elinor turns to the viewer and asks, \u201cWhy do you think the ketchup isn\u2019t coming out?\u201d Many of the kids in our study simply reiterated the problem by saying, \u201cIt\u2019s stuck,\u201d without answering why. In this case, Elinor follows up by asking, \u201cYeah, I wonder why the ketchup is stuck inside the bottle. Do you think it\u2019s too goopy, or it\u2019s too runny?\u201d<\/p>\n

We carried out several studies to\u00a0test whether this interactive format indeed helps children learn more<\/a>. In one\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0that we presented at the\u00a02023 American Educational Research Association annual conference<\/a>, we divided 240 children into three groups of 80. The first group watched the \u201cElinor Wonders Why\u201d episodes in the interactive format we created. The second group watched the original broadcast without any questions or responses from Elinor. The third group watched a semi-interactive version similar to \u201cDora the Explorer<\/a>,\u201d where the main character asks a question, pauses as if she is listening and provides generic feedback. After the children watched the episodes, we assessed their understanding of the science concepts that were presented, including aerodynamics and reptile shedding.<\/p>\n

We found that children who watched the fully interactive episodes answered 63% of the assessment questions correctly, compared with 56% for those who watched the noninteractive version. Children who watched the semi-interactive version performed in between, correctly answering 61% of the questions.<\/p>\n

We also examined children\u2019s responses to Elinor\u2019s questions during video watching. We found that children watching the semi-interactive version quickly lost interest in responding to Elinor\u2019s questions after they realized she could not comprehend their answers.<\/p>\n

Why it matters<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Children in the U.S. spend an average of nearly two hours per day watching TV or online videos, according to\u00a0a national survey<\/a>. While platforms like PBS Kids provide free educational TV programs, the educational benefits can be limited by the lack of interaction with the content. The semi-interactive technique currently used in shows like \u201cDora the Explorer\u201d and \u201cMickey Mouse Clubhouse<\/a>\u201d is still in wide use, but our evidence shows it is less effective than the AI-based interactive programs because of the absence of responsive feedback from characters.<\/p>\n

Recent advances in AI, particularly in speech technologies and interpreting language spoken by real humans, make it possible to enable true interactions between child viewers and children\u2019s TV show characters. This could make watching TV a more active and engaging way for kids to learn science.<\/p>\n

What other research is being done<\/strong><\/h4>\n

AI is being integrated into a range of media products, including\u00a0e-books<\/a>,\u00a0smart toys<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0social robots<\/a>. Meanwhile, advances in AI technology will likely increase its accuracy in processing children\u2019s speech, and therefore enable more natural interactions between children and AI. At the same time, researchers are also studying the\u00a0ethical use of AI in media for young children<\/a>\u00a0to ensure that content that is developed is both educational and safe.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next<\/strong><\/h4>\n

We are currently exploring the possibility of developing children\u2019s TV show characters that can process bilingual children\u2019s mixed usage of English and their native language during interactions. A\u00a0study involving children<\/a>\u00a0who speak Spanish and English is in progress.<\/p>\n

We also have plans to integrate AI into more PBS Kids shows, including an upcoming series called \u201cLyla in the Loop<\/a>,\u201d which highlights creative problem-solving for children ages 4-8.<\/p>\n

Author Bio:<\/strong> Ying Xu is Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences & Technology at the University of Michigan<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the main character of a kids TV show can both listen and respond to viewers by using advances in artificial intelligence,\u00a0youngsters learn more\u00a0from the program. That\u2019s what my colleagues and I found in a series of peer-reviewed studies. We are partnering with\u00a0PBS Kids\u00a0to incorporate conversational AI like Siri or Alexa into a popular science […]\n… learn more→<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[95],"tags":[434413],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-68038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-interactive-kids-shows"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nKids cartoon characters that use AI to customize responses help children learn - World leading higher education information and services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/kids-cartoon-characters-that-use-ai-to-customize-responses-help-children-learn\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Kids cartoon characters that use AI to customize responses help children learn - World leading higher education information and services\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When the main character of a kids TV show can both listen and respond to viewers by using advances in artificial intelligence,\u00a0youngsters learn more\u00a0from the program. 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