The almost immediate transition to distance learning by universities has been one of the defining aspects of the societal changes wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. It remains far from certain that things will return to normal any time soon. New research by Oregon State University explores how the use of telepresence robots might help make this transition slightly less discombobulating.
The research examined the experience of students attending classes via one of three formats: in person, via a livestream of the lecture, and via a telepresence robot, with the eventual preferences of both students and teachers recorded.
The results suggest that whilst the teachers preferred teaching in person, the students were split across the formats. For teachers, however, the use of telepresence robots was deemed preferable to distance learning tools as it created a greater presence for the students.
Online learning
The shift to virtual learning was underway even before the pandemic, with around 14% of students in the US learning in this way all of the time, and a further 15% doing so at least some of the time.
“Students engage in distance learning for many reasons,” the researchers say. “There are fundamental challenges in distance learning, such as the need to find a way to train students in the time management and active listening skills typically developed during higher education. Distance learners are also susceptible to missing out on benefiting from their peers – effective social interaction while learning leads to better critical thinking and longer-term information retention.”
The robots used in the study allowed for both forward and downward facing camera views, along with a range of zooming options and menus for adjusting the audiovisual controls. The participants on both the teacher and student side attended their chosen classes over a two-week period, with the courses including machine learning, analysis of algorithms, and software architectures.
“Participants generally used the robots to view the lecture, ask questions during the lecture, and move around during breaks to talk to friends or instructors,” the researchers say. “When asked to choose a single favorite method for attending class, nine participants chose in-person attendance, eight chose the DLT resources, and one chose the telepresence robot.”
Learning in person scored higher than the other methods in every aspect of the survey, except the ease of learning section, in which the distance learning technologies scored the same. Learning in person was also often described as a more social form of learning, with individuals able to express themselves more than the distant approaches. It also allowed students to feel more present in the classroom, and interact with their peers more readily.
“Not all students had realized the value of in-person learning before the study,” the researchers say. “Instructors uniformly preferred in-person attendance by students. But there were drawbacks to in-person learning too, such as ‘a person sits beside me and is always talking.'”
Despite relatively positive comments regarding the use of the telepresence robots, it seems unlikely that they provide the solution both universities and their students are looking for as they try and find ways to function during the pandemic.
