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Designing for Interaction 195

duction. From the point of view of affect the children were extremely positive
about the NIMIS classroom. Enjoying what they do helps to motivate them,
makes them feel confident and independent but also co-operative and moti-
vates them to learn. One teacher explained how they are quite happy to do
additional Maths and English in the afternoons on the computers. The teach-
ers too felt very pleased and happy with the classroom, which is also likely to
influence the children, since teachers establish the general climate in the class-
room. The analysis of the interactions showed the interaction with adults to be
generally of a higher quality but less timely (due to teacher/pupil ratio) and the
interactions with peers to be usually of a lower quality but more timely (due
to availability). These different forms complement each other in a busy class-
room but an empathic agent which could provide both affective and cognitive
support in the story-writing software could contribute to both the quality and
timeliness of the interactions as well as modelling high quality interaction to
young children to improve their ability to support others.

6. Conclusion
The recent re-emphasis on of the importance of the emotions is perhaps one
of the most significant developments in understanding the learning process.
Brain research increasingly suggests that the cognitive and the affective are
inextricably linked and perhaps only holistic approaches and evaluations can
really begin to understand the nature of high quality learning environments.
The NIMIS classroom and software was designed with a belief that all these
factors work together to make successful learning. Computer integrated class-
rooms can maximise the strengths of both people and computers, supporting
interaction of many different kinds and combinations. The success of both
classroom and software has provided considerable justification for our think-
ing and methodology in the project. Our future aim is to develop the empathic
agent to further improve the ambience of the classroom at the level of one-
to one personal interaction and to complement the teacher and peer support.
The enthusiastic responses of both teachers and children, coupled with strong
evidence in the video analysis of very high levels of engagement and greater
opportunities for collaboration suggest that such a classroom presents a very
positive model for humans and computers working effectively together. The
aim of smooth and natural interaction between the human and the digital does
seem to have occurred. The holistic view which took into account affect and
relationships, communication and interaction as being central to the learning
process has contributed to creating a positive classroom climate in which chil-
dren are motivated, confident and mutually helpful.