Higher education personnel's perceptions about telepresence robots

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Robotics in Education

Background:

• Growing interest in telepresence robots for educational applications.
• Potential to improve remote learning experiences and teacher support.
• Need for understanding perceptions of educational personnel regarding this technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine Georgian university personnel's perceptions of telepresence robots in education.
• To gather evidence-based insights on the role of telepresence robots in enhancing learning and teaching.
• To identify challenges, benefits, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats associated with their integration.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory research study.
• Involved 16 personnel from eight Georgian universities.
• Qualitative data collection on perceptions of telepresence robots.

Main Results:

• University personnel perceive telepresence robots as having significant potential to enhance educational activities.
• Identified key factors including challenges, benefits, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats for integration.
• Provided insights into the specific context of higher education in Georgia.

Conclusions:

• Telepresence robots are viewed favorably for their potential to transform educational practices.
• Successful integration requires addressing identified challenges and leveraging opportunities.
• Recommendations for future research are proposed to further explore this domain.