  Growing up in an artificial intelligence-filled world, with Siri and Amazon
Alexa often within arm's - or speech's - reach, could have significant impact
on children. Conversational agents could influence how students
anthropomorphize computer systems or develop a theory of mind. Previous
research has explored how conversational agents are used and perceived by
children within and outside of learning contexts. This study investigates how
middle and high school students' perceptions of Alexa change through
programming their own conversational agents in week-long AI education
workshops. Specifically, we investigate the workshops' influence on student
perceptions of Alexa's intelligence, friendliness, aliveness, safeness,
trustworthiness, human-likeness, and feelings of closeness. We found that
students felt Alexa was more intelligent and felt closer to Alexa after the
workshops. We also found strong correlations between students' perceptions of
Alexa's friendliness and trustworthiness, and safeness and trustworthiness.
Finally, we explored how students tended to more frequently use computer
science-related diction and ideas after the workshops. Based on our findings,
we recommend designers carefully consider personification, transparency,
playfulness and utility when designing CAs for learning contexts.
