The document discusses the potential use of telepresence robots to support multi-access learning in higher education. It describes how telepresence robots could allow remote or off-campus students to participate in physical classroom activities through an autonomous robot. The document outlines different models for multi-access learning, including shared portals, personal portals, and telepresence robots. It provides perspectives from faculty and students, with some seeing benefits to inclusion and access, while others raise concerns about costs and impact on community.

1. Telepresence Robots: Applications and Issues In
Higher Education
Michael Paskevicius & Valerie Irvine
Image https://pixabay.com/en/robots-computers-bots-character-764951/
License: CC0 Public Domain
Presented in CSC 586A: Topics in Computer Systems and Software:
"Computer-Supported Collaborative Work“ October, 2015

2. Lecture – Wikipedia image from - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lecture
Licensed with Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

3. Face to face
classrooms
Classroom – Wikipedia images from - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classroom
Licensed with Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

4. Asynchronous
Fully Online or
Blended

5. Video conferencing
Videoconferencing – Wikipedia images from - https://commons.wikimedia.org
Licensed with Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

6. Synchronous online classrooms
http://www.blackboard.com/platforms/collaborate/products/blackboard-collaborate/web-conferencing.aspx
http://atate.org/mscel/archive/hp-blog-2011.html

7. Choice?
Which configuration do you prefer? Where have you
felt you had your best learning experiences?
Do you feel you have choice in the selection of the
learning format?

9. FACE TO FACE ONLINEOR
Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

10. FACE TO FACE ONLINE*AND*
BLENDED
Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

11. F2F ONLINEMULTI-ACCESS
Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

12. Physical
Flickr@faultlesspajamo CCBYNCSA2.0
Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

13. Special Needs / Anxiety
Flickr@gregous CCBYNCND2.0 Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

14. Remote or Rural
Flickr@Michel-Yves CCBYND2.0 Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

16. Potential
models for
multiaccess
Shared portals
Personal portals
Autonomous
telepresence
robots
(Bell, Sawaya & Cain, 2014)

17. Multiaccess - shared portals
http://designstudio.educ.msu.edu/virtual-flexibility-for-
synchronous-hybrid-learning/

18. Multiaccess -
personal portals
http://designstudio.educ.msu.edu/research-and-practice/synchromodal/personal-portal-model/

19. Mutiaccess -
Autonomous
telepresence robots
http://designstudio.educ.msu.edu/research-and-
practice/synchromodal/personal-portal-model/

20. http://www.doublerobotics.com/ https://revolverobotics.com/ http://www.vgocom.com/
Kubi vGoDouble
Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

21. Remote participant’s view
Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

22. Faculty and student perspectives on using
telepresence robots to support multiaccess

23. The argument against multiaccess
• The technology to support this is costly and hard to
setup
• It will a challenge facilitating both in person and
distance learners
• This will have a negative impact on the sense of
community in the classroom

24. • “The robot to me is an interesting idea. Part of my thinking is thinking
about who are we, so it’s ontological but what essence or what
physicality is different to me. It wouldn’t bother me, if I had 10 of
those it still wouldn’t bother me, it’s just another way of
being.”
• “I can just teach normally to them and to them the same way
as this face-to-face student. I don’t see that being an issue. ”
• “I would love to try it as a student. I would love to try it as a teacher.
As long as I have no responsibility for moving their
screens around.”
Irvine, V. 2015. Video Conferencing via Robots: Needs and Implications of Access by Cyber Proxy. BCNet Conference 2015,
Vancouver, BC. http://www.slideshare.net/virvine/video-conferencing-via-robots-needs-and-implications-of-access-by-cyber-proxy

25. Student feedback
Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/natematias/13871008314
Licensed with Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0

26. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike
2.5 Canada License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/ca/
Prepared by: Michael Paskevicius
michael.paskevicus@gmail.com
Follow me: http://twitter.com/mpaskevi
Blog: http://wordpress.viu.ca/ciel/
Presentations: http://www.slideshare.net/mpaskevi

27. References
• Bell, J., Sawaya, S., & Cain, W. (2014). Synchromodal classes: Designing for
shared learning experiences between face-to-face and online students.
International Journal of Designs for Learning, 5(1).
• Herring, S. C. (2013). Telepresence robots for academics. Proceedings of the
American Society for Information Science and Technology, 50(1), 1-4.
• Irvine, V., Code, J., & Richards, L. (2013). Realigning higher education for
the 21st-century learner through multi-access learning. MERLOT Journal of
Online Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 172-186.

28. Face to face Asynchronous text based
Video conferenced Multiaccess