Interaction With a Television Character Powered by Artificial Intelligence Promotes Children’s Science Learning

Television and video programs are important educational resources for young children, especiallythosefromunder-resourcedhouseholds.Theseprograms’potentialcanbeamplifiedif children are given the opportunity to meaningfully interact with media characters during their video watching. In this project, we partnered with PBS KIDS to develop interactive science- focused videos in which the main character, powered by artificial intelligence, engaged in conversation with children by asking them questions and providing responsive feedback. The children who watched the interactive video performed better in a science posttest compared to their peers who watched the non-interactive or pseudo-interactive videos. This paper sheds light on the feasibility and effectiveness of using conversational technologies to support children’s active learning from video watching.