Implications on Learning Outcomes and Eye-strain of using Telepresence Robots as a new Distance Learning Medium

Abstract

Distance learning brings all sorts of advantages. The ability to follow lectures at home can save people transportation costs and time. Teaching through videoconferencing software such as Zoom is one of the methods to learn remotely. To explore new and better teaching methods, the possibility of using a telepresence robot is investigated. To determine its worth, an experiment is done to compare the learning outcomes of telepresence robot lectures to Zoom lectures. Differences in risk of eye-strain is also compared, as most distance learning methods are digital. An increase in risk of eye-strain may negatively impact the choice of adopting the learning method. Due to the small sample size, non-parametric tests were conducted. Concluding from the research, neither Zoom nor telepresence robot lectures had better learning outcomes compared to the other. The learning outcomes of both lectures were similar. Risks of eye-strain also did not differ between the two. Further analysis was done comparing the telepresence robot lecture with a hologram and a virtual reality lecture, as these were also part of the experiment. Similarly to zoom, there was no significant evidence that telepresence robot lectures had different learning outcomes or risks of eye-strain than holograms and virtual reality lectures.