Telepresence Teaching
Telepresence teaching is a progressive and out-of-the-box educational approach that primarily uses high-tech digital video conferencing and robotics for making a virtual classroom environment. This method props up the remote learning opportunities, allowing students to have real-time interaction with both their instructors and other students of the class, notwithstanding their physical location.
The key technologies in telepresence teaching consist of the HD video conferencing tools, interactive whiteboards, and telepresence robots. For instance, Zoom and Microsoft Teams are the platforms that realize direct communication, while telepresence robots, e.g. Double Robotics, provide a teacher with the opportunity to virtually move around a classroom, thus, making it possible to implement a more engaging method of learning.
The telepresence method of teaching comes with numerous advantages which include having more students join the classes at remote areas, choice in the time schedule and more classes than are located locally. As a case, for example, a rural student could take an Elite level course in a top University without having to move to the new location.
The hurdles that the teachers are likely to come across may include technology malfunctions, the lack of proper training, and possible disengagement of the students. The teachers must make sure that both the teachers and the students are at ease with the use of technology, and they should also prepare engaging lesson plans that can involve the students even during the virtual sessions.
As per the studies, the implementation of telepresence teaching as an alternative is as efficient as the traditional way of learning if the right methods are used. Quality of the technology, the instructor's ability to involve students from distance, and the learning atmosphere are main factors associated with the effectiveness. For instance, a research work reported that pupils in the telepresence context had performance levels as measured against their counterparts in the traditional model, thus, they were noticed as a possible one.