Can Virtual Human Build Rapport and Promote Learning?

Research show that teacher's nonverbal immediacy can have a positive impact on student's cognitive learning and affect [3]. This paper investigates the effectiveness of nonverbal immediacy using a virtual human. The virtual human attempts to use immediacy feedback to create rapport with the learner. Results show that the virtual human established rapport with learners but did not help them achieve better learning results. The results also suggest that creating rapport is related to higher self-efficacy, and self-efficacy is related to better learning results.