Emerging Telepresence Technologies in Hybrid Learning Environments.

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Robotics
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Telerobotic technologies are growing, impacting learning environments.
• HCI research has focused on user interfaces for telepresence robots, but less on real-world learning applications.
• The post-COVID-19 era presents unique challenges for hybrid learning, highlighting the need for mediated learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a new HCI research agenda for immersive and telerobotic technologies in real-world learning.
• To explore robot-mediated learning in naturalistic settings ('in the wild').
• To examine end-user engagement and fundamental concepts of telerobots in education.

Main Methods:

• Workshop format inviting collaborative definition of a research agenda.
• Focus on HCI research methods.
• Exploration of sociotechnical aspects in hybrid learning environments.

Main Results:

• Identification of research gaps in telerobot applications for everyday learning.
• Call for new insights, concepts, and methods in robot-mediated learning.
• Emphasis on understanding user engagement in real-world contexts.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for expanded HCI research into telerobotics for practical learning scenarios.
• Future research should address the complexities of 'learning in the wild' using robots.
• Developing effective robot-mediated learning requires a deeper understanding of user interaction and context.