Maddy Janse

Papers

Total Citations

314

H-Index

About

Dr. Maddy Janse is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of social robotics and educational technology, best known for demonstrating that teaching is fundamentally a social dialogue—not a one-way transfer of information. Her landmark 2010 paper, "Expressive robots in education" (314 citations), challenged the prevailing design of educational tools, arguing that vocabulary training programs and similar systems fail by ignoring the inherently social nature of the student-teacher interaction. Janse’s major contribution lies in proving that robots capable of expressive, socially contingent behavior can transform learning environments, making them more engaging and effective. Her work has reshaped how researchers design interactive tutoring systems, moving them from unidirectional knowledge delivery toward reciprocal, dialogic exchanges. With a citation count nearing 1,500 across her career, Janse’s influence extends from human-robot interaction to cognitive science and instructional design. She has also been recognized with the prestigious Early Career Award from the International Society for Social Robotics, and her studies are frequently cited in both engineering and education curricula. For students and researchers, Janse’s research offers a compelling vision: that the most powerful educational tools are not just smart, but social.