This paper investigates the process of automating the evaluation of empathetic response levels in virtual human interaction systems implementing mental health scenarios. Two suicidal virtual patients were developed to collect clinician participants' empathetic responses. Before collecting clinicians' responses, we tested the virtual human interaction with healthcare trainees. Trainees' empathetic responses were evaluated by experts to use the ECCS scale based on the ECCS level (Empathetic Communication Coding System). We trained classifiers using trainees' empathetic responses with experts' coded empathy levels as the training dataset. Clinician participants' empathetic responses to virtual patients were evaluated by experts and the classifiers. The performance of the classifiers was evaluated using the experts' coded level of clinicians' empathetic responses as a test dataset. This work demonstrates the applicability of using virtual agents techniques to identify empathy levels of clinicians' responses automatically. This work shows the potential of using virtual human interaction to train clinicians' skills to show empathy. Corresponding feedback could be provided to clinicians based on the evaluation results. We hope this study motivates more research in using intelligent virtual agents in personal skills training in education. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Human computer interaction (HCI); • Applied computing → Life and medical sciences.
Millions of students worldwide have adopted online learning due to the isolation restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context, video conferencing platforms have garnered immense popularity as tools for teaching. However, these tools have several limitations compared to real-world encounters, especially in activities involving collaboration and teamwork. A growing number of researchers and educators have turned to avatar-based communication platforms, such as Mozilla Hubs, as alternatives that can complement video conferencing in social and teaching activities. Several previous research efforts have focused on developing tools that implement avatar-based communication systems or have explored creating activities in these 3D virtual spaces, such as poster sessions in scientific conferences or the classroom environment. In this work, we describe our semester-long efforts to develop Mozilla Hubs rooms toward promoting interaction and communication to help students self-form teams in the context of an introductory virtual reality course at the University of Florida. We describe hands-on activities to prepare students to use Mozilla Hubs effectively, including teaching them skills to customize and create avatars. We describe the implementation of three virtual rooms developed based on researchers' observations and students' survey responses. By observing students' behavior and communication patterns in those rooms, we propose a set of guidelines for building virtual rooms that can promote communication, interaction, and teamwork. We discuss the rooms' design, students' attendance, and avatar choices. Our findings suggest that highly detailed, small, closed spaces are preferred over large, open spaces with few details when promoting interaction and collaboration among students.
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