Using AI-generated virtual instructors in middle school lecture videos: the roles of instructor emotion and lecture script frame

In plain English

In a 2x2 experiment with 114 Chinese middle school students, AI-generated virtual lecturers showing positive emotional expression — conveyed through facial expression and intonation — produced better learning performance and higher intrinsic motivation than neutral ones. The effect depended on matching: pairing positive emotion with gain-framed script wording reduced cognitive load and improved performance further. For anyone scripting avatar-delivered training, this says emotional delivery and message framing have to be chosen together, not configured independently.