AFFECTIVE LEARNING AND COMPUTATIONAL SYSTEMS. NEW PERSPECTIVES ON SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

This paper reviews research on affective computing applied to second language learning processes. It focuses on the important role pedagogical agents play in educational virtual contexts. The use of computer in second language learning and in Computer Assisted Language Learning systems (CALL) is, today, a well-rooted practice. A further step, then, is to evaluate the impact the use of Computer-Mediated Learning systems (CML) has on these learning processes. With advances in computer and multimodal technology, the intelligent agent (chatbot) has become one of the key-elements in the study of human-machine interaction. The agent exploits the social interaction between what the tutoring software offers and the student/user. Its tasks are to communicate with learners about various themes as well as to display synchronized affective feedback based on a complex emotional state generator In the last decade, many experiments have been done and the most interesting will be illustrated in this study in order to show the state of the art of research. Findings will also help software designers, scholars and teachers to better understand users/students' experiences with technology.