Following a brief discussion on aspects of visual appearance and roles respectively, two user studies are presented and discussed. Both focus on learner experiences and explore the reciprocal relation between visual appearance of virtual agents and their pedagogical roles. The paper concludes with some preliminary guidelines for the early stages of the design process of virtual pedagogical agents.

Abstract in French L'humidité a une influence prépondérante sur un grand nombre de processus d’interaction et de transport qui affectent de manière directe la durabilité, le retrait et le comportement des bétons à haute performance (BHP) soumis à différents types de conditions d’exposition. Une étude expérimentale sur les propriétés de transport d'humidité de 20 mélanges de béton a été effectuée dMoisture is decisive for a large number of binding and transport processes in high performance concrete affecting the durability, shrinkage and performance in various envi-ronments. An experimental study on the moisture transport properties of 20 concrete mixes was made during seven years, with type of binder, additives and water-binder ratio as parameters. An upside-down glass cup method was used

In 2001, when the Taliban decided to destroy numerous cultural artefacts, including two colossal Buddha statues, that they considered incompatible with their faith, a large outcry was heard across the Western world. From the UNESCO to the British Museum, and from the Dalai Lama to countless head of governments, all were united in condemning this act of ’cultural terrorism’ that was said to prove n

Soda lakes represent the most stable naturally-occurring alkaline environments on Earth and harbour a diverse population of alkaliphiles. Alkaliphilic microorganisms have attracted a great interest due to their ability to produce extracellular enzymes that are active and stable at high pH values. Screening for alkaliphilic starch-hydrolyzing bacteria from samples of soda lakes at the Ethiopian Rif

The actors in focus here are the citizens and the politicians. We are studying their opinions on two central issues of health-care policy during the period 1981-1991. The aims of the dissertation can be summarised as follows: - to study the compositions of citizens´attitudes to health-care provision and policy - to examine the value of using different methodical approaches when studying health-car

The purpose of this thesis is to study how the Swedish working-class authors, and close friends, Eyvind Johnson (1900-1976) and Rudolf Värnlund (1900-1945) during the interwar period portray the individual and collectives of different kinds. The studied novels are Eyvind Johnson’s Timans och rättfärdigheten (1925; Timans and righteousness), Bobinack (1932), Romanen om Olof (1934-1937; The novel ab