The Impact of Pedagogical Agents on Intrinsic Motivation in MOOCs: A Quasi- Experimental Study

Abstract

This study examines the impact of pedagogical agents on learners' perceived intrinsic motivation in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) environment. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study compares the intrinsic motivation levels of two groups: one receiving learning lesson with a pedagogical agent and the other without. The sample consists of 66 students enrolled in multimedia-based courses at a Malaysian university. Data were collected using a questionnaire adapted from the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Results indicate that there are no statistically significant differences in intrinsic motivation between the groups. While both groups reported high levels of interest, enjoyment, competence, effort, and pressure, the presence of a pedagogical agent did not significantly enhance intrinsic motivation. These findings suggest that while pedagogical agents may offer benefits, their impact on intrinsic motivation in MOOCs is limited. Future research should explore long-term effects, diverse learner populations, and more interactive agent designs to better understand the potential of pedagogical agents in online learning environments.