Pedagogical Agents in E-learning: a review of recent (2009-2019) research results.

This paper presents a systematic review of recent (2009-2019) publications on the results of primary studies that investigate smart learning, focusing on the use of Pedagogical Agents (PAs), either animated or not, in Education and specifically in E-learning systems. PAs are software constructs (digital 'characters') that offer aid and support to the learner based on the learner's needs and recognized affective state. Primary studies that involve interaction of the PA with human learners in online educational contexts, are retrieved and screened according to a set of criteria. The subset of publications finally retained are analyzed to estimate the (possible) recent trend in PA-related research and to answer a number of research questions referring to the form, the role, the context and the effectiveness of the PA. A sustained interest rather than a trend has emerged from this analysis; moreover, the typical study uses an animated PA to teach a class of Computer Science undergraduate students; in 3 out of 4 studies, positive learning outcomes are reported and attributed to the presence of the PA. Results are discussed and further research directions are outlined.