# Exploring LLM-Powered Role and Action-Switching Pedagogical Agents for History Education in Virtual Reality

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.02699 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.02699/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 5 May 2025.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [Hanfu-Bench: A Multimodal Benchmark on Cross-Temporal Cultural Understanding and Transcreation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.01565/) (2025)
- [Dynamic Multimodal Expression Generation for LLM-Driven Pedagogical Agents: From User Experience Perspective](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.09536/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Multi-role pedagogical agents can create engaging and immersive learning experiences, helping learners better understand knowledge in history learning. However, existing pedagogical agents often struggle with multi-role interactions due to complex controls, limited feedback forms, and difficulty dynamically adapting to user inputs. In this study, we developed a VR prototype with LLM-powered adaptive role-switching and action-switching pedagogical agents to help users learn about the history of the Pavilion of Prince Teng. A 2 x 2 between-subjects study was conducted with 84 participants to assess how adaptive role-switching and action-switching affect participants' learning outcomes and experiences. The results suggest that adaptive role-switching enhances participants' perception of the pedagogical agent's trustworthiness and expertise but may lead to inconsistent learning experiences. Adaptive action-switching increases participants' perceived social presence, expertise, and humanness. The study did not uncover any effects of role-switching and action-switching on usability, learning motivation, and cognitive load. Based on the findings, we proposed five design implications for incorporating adaptive role-switching and action-switching into future VR history education tools.