We have created You, M.D., an interactive museum exhibit in which users learn about topics in public health literacy while interacting with virtual humans. You, M.D. is equipped with a weight sensor, a height sensor and a Microsoft Kinect that gather basic user information. Conceptually, You, M.D. could use this user information to dynamically select the appearance of the virtual humans in the interaction attempting to improve learning outcomes and user perception for each particular user. For this concept to be possible, a better understanding of how different elements of the visual appearance of a virtual human affects user perceptions is required. In this paper, we present the results of an initial user study with a large sample size (n =333) ran using You, M.D. The study measured users reactions based on the users gender and body-mass index (BMI) when facing virtual humans with BMI either concordant or discordant from the users BMI. The results of the study indicate that concordance between the users BMI and the virtual humans BMI affects male and female users differently. The results also show that female users rate virtual humans as more knowledgeable than male users rate the same virtual humans.
Abstract:Harnessing the power of new methods and new technologies is a key to renewing education to serve our diverse societies at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Doctoral education plays a pivotal role in the professional preparation of leaders for higher education, schools and related services. Drawing upon research and development in Europe and the USA, this paper describes a range of innovative strategies to promote intercultural competence. The transatlantic project International Leadership in Educational Technology(ILET) is building a virtual learning community. The project has confirmed our belief that communication technologies, blended with facuity collaboration and limited student travel, make potent ingredients for the preparation of the next generation of leaders of educational technology. However, the project has also dispelled any naive beliefs as to our ability to effect widespread change in our universities. A second example project within Iowa State University used complementary strategies that developed project proposals taking ILET as one example of the use of technology for international education, including a future project to measure intercultural competence over time.
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