Mirle Willems
Papers
1
Total Citations
41
H-Index
1
About
Mirle Willems is a researcher at the intersection of human-robot interaction and second language acquisition, with a primary focus on how social robots can enhance early childhood education. Her most cited work, "Using Self-Determination Theory in Social Robots to Increase Motivation in L2 Word Learning" (2020, 41 citations), represents a significant contribution to the field. In this study, Willems designed and implemented motivational strategies—rooted in Self-Determination Theory—within a social robot tutor to stimulate intrinsic motivation in preschool children during second language word learning. By experimentally investigating the robot's effect on children's task engagement, she provided empirical evidence for how autonomy, competence, and relatedness can be effectively translated into robotic behaviors. This research bridges educational psychology and robotics, offering practical insights for developing more engaging and effective automated tutors. Willems's work is notable for its innovative application of established motivational theory to emerging technology, and her findings have implications for both educational technology design and the broader understanding of child-robot interaction.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1