Estudo de implementação de um robô de conversação em curso de língua estrangeira em ambiente virtual: um caso de estabilização do Sistema Adaptativo Complexo

Abstract

This dissertation addresses the inclusion of a tool for automatized support and its influence in the virtual environment of two online courses Inglês Instrumental I and II (ESP reading courses) from the theoretical perspective of the paradigms of the Chaos and Complexity. (MORIN, 1990; LARSEN-FREEMAN, CAMERON, 2008; PAIVA, 2009). The research objectives were to: 1) verify whether the incorporation of a chatbot tool causes changes in students' participation in an online English learning environment. 2) verify whether behavioral changes occur in the system and co-adaptation processes occurs causing a new Complex Adaptive System (CAS) to emerge. Answers to the research questions were sought through the collection and analyses of qualitative data (semi-structured questionnaires) and the analysis and comparison between the number of interactions with the robot and the number of interactions via emails. The SPSS software was used to aid in the quantitative analyses. The results of this study indicate that: 1) there were no changes or variations over time (curiosity, validation and use by students) in the functioning of the two online courses caused by the online interactions with the robot. 2) it was not possible to observe a new phase behavior of this system (reduction in the need for human monitors) and 3) there was no change in the dynamics of the learning environment enough to be perceived as the emergence of a new SAC. We have found, however, evidence that even under the influence of different agents, the two courses are in a stable phase and, therefore, less sensitive and subjected to changes in their trajectory or state space.