Telepresence Robots: A Phenomenological Study of Perceptions of Graduate Students and Professors

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to capture the perceptions of telepresence learning from three different perspectives: the graduate student using the telepresence robot, the graduate students in the physical learning environment with one of their peers utilizing the telepresence robot, and the instructor teaching in the learning environment where a telepresence robot is being utilized. This study was analyzed through the lens of Whiteside’s 2015 Social Presence Model, which synchronizes interactions between the instructor/professor, students, content, and technologies being utilized. While some challenges exist, the telepresence robots established a social and physical presence from a remote location.