This paper aims to present the findings of a series of pilot studies that took place in the context of the TRinE Erasmus+ project and evaluated the potential of using Telepresence Robots (TR) in Higher Education (HE) settings in Greece. The main goal of this study was to measure the acceptance of TR based on students' feedback, after using them in class. This was achieved by deploying a Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach. The participants involved in the study were in total 5 HE teachers and 104 HE students. Both students and educators participated in completing a validated questionnaire, which was tailored to the technology of the TR. The findings unveiled generally positive perceptions among the in-class students regarding the usage of the TR. Moreover, the results showcased even more positive perceptions among the out-of-class students concerning TR utilization. Overall, these findings suggest that integrating TR into educational environments has the potential to foster dynamic and interactive learning environments, which could ultimately enhance student engagement and improve learning outcomes.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a significant catalyst for the rise of distance education even
though the need for distance education existed before this challenging period. A variety of tools
became essential as they succeeded in facilitating the remote teaching and learning processes.
Telepresence robots (TR) are among the innovative technologies that gained attention and
adoption during the pandemic as they allowed students to virtually attend classes, interact with
teachers and peers, and engage in various learning activities while physically distanced [
mariaperif@gmail.com (M. Perifanou) 0000-0002-9874-8417 (M. Perifanou)
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The TRinE project partners adopted the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach [
In the context of our survey, which aspires to evaluate the acceptance of TR based on students’
feedback, the “TAM4Edu framework” was adopted [
Figure 1 illustrates how these parameters interact within the “TAM4Edu framework”, providing a
comprehensive model for understanding and predicting technology acceptance in educational
contexts. After initially gathering student data through the construction of the questionnaire and
analyzing the obtained results, the most suitable questions for each determinant were identified to
ensure effective adoption of the “TAM4Edu framework” [
During the academic year 2022-2023, five pilot surveys were conducted in the context of the TRinE
Erasmus+ project with an average participation of 20 students from various fields in each survey.
The TR used was the Ohmni Robot [
With respect to the questionnaire, it comprised 24 main questions, utilizing a 5-point Likert scale for measurement, as well as demographic and open-ended questions. All main questions aimed to assess various factors including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, behavioral intention, computer self-efficacy, technology anxiety, perceived enjoyment, study relevance, usability, social interactivity, and perceived lecture attention. 2.2.2. Sample Data collection utilized opportunity sampling inviting lecturers to participate in the study during their lectures. Some students agreed to leave the classroom and take the role of the “remote student” who in fact is the “TR controller”. This group of students could use the TR to attend the lecture and engage with the other students in the classroom remotely. On the other hand, the remaining students, the “local (in-class) students” had the opportunity to participate in the lecture conventionally while interacting with the “remote students” through the TR. Table 2, below, provides an overview of the participants involved in the study.
A total of 109 responses were collected, with 104 students engaging with the TR to varying extents. Among these students, 32 took control of the TR for at least twenty minutes. The majority of respondents (74%) were identified as female. Regarding age distribution, the largest proportion of respondents (89%) fell into the 19-24 age bracket. Notably, no missing values were detected for any of the data items, avoiding the need for imputation.
The study aimed to investigate the acceptance and effectiveness of integrating a TR in educational settings at higher education levels and concretely at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki in Greece in the context of the Erasmus + project TRinE. The results revealed generally positive perceptions among the “local (in-class) students” and “remote (out-of-class) students” regarding using the TR.
With regards to the “local (in-class) students” views, the integration of the TR in educational settings has been perceived as enjoyable and relevant by them, enhancing their learning experience. More than 75% of them somewhat or strongly agreed that the TR enabled better participation in classroom activities remotely, promoted discussion and collaboration with classmates, and facilitated interaction with peers. In fact, many students reported feeling comfortable and found the interaction with the TR intuitive, which aided them in completing tasks without supervision. Among the respondents, 55% of the students agreed with this opinion, 30% were neutral, while 15% disagreed. This suggests that while most students had a positive experience with the TR, there remains a small group that encountered difficulties or felt less comfortable, indicating a need for further support or training for some users. Furthermore, the majority of them found the process of using the TR enjoyable and reported feeling attentive and focused during the whole time involved in class activities while using the TR. Additionally, all “local (in-class) students” indicated that they did not find the TR usage boring, nor did they experience any nervousness towards this technology. On the contrary, opinions were divided regarding the intuitiveness of performing tasks while interacting with the TR. While some students found the TR easy to use and felt confident in completing tasks independently, others were less certain. Despite some challenges, such as initial difficulties in interaction, the majority of students recognized the TR's potential to enhance classroom activities and expressed a desire for its regular use in future classes. They highlighted the TR's contribution to making remote participation more accessible and engaging, underlining its significance in their studies. The overall consensus suggests that while initial training may be necessary, the long-term benefits of using the TR justify its continued integration into higher education learning environments.
Similarly, the results revealed generally very positive perceptions among the “remote (out-ofclass) students” regarding using the TR. Even though most of them expressed that using the TR was not very relevant to their studies over 80% of students expressed positive sentiments towards various aspects of the TR technology in their academic pursuits. They highlighted the importance of TR technology in their studies, found the process of using the TR enjoyable, and felt confident in completing tasks with minimal supervision. Furthermore, they perceived learning to operate the TR easy and reported feeling very comfortable while using it and not so nervous. However, the majority of them stated that they needed help to be shown how to use it while their opinions were divided regarding the intuitiveness of operating the TR. With regards to participation, the majority of the remote (out-of-class) students reported that the use of TR significantly enhanced their ability to participate in classroom activities remotely, allowing them to engage more actively in discussions and collaborative tasks. The greater part of them also stated that the TR made it possible for them to perform class activities effectively and intuitively, with minimal learning effort required to operate the robot. This seamless interaction helped maintain the social and collaborative aspects of learning, fostering a sense of inclusion and participation even from a distance. Furthermore, most students noted that using the TR increased their attentiveness and concentration during class activities, which contributed to a more engaging learning experience. They found the technology neither boring nor complicated suggesting its potential for regular use in educational settings. Interestingly, all students expressed anticipation for future use of the TR technology. Lastly, these findings underscore the positive impact of TR technology on “remote (out-of-class) students” academic experiences and suggest a high level of acceptance and satisfaction with its usability and functionality.
The main difficulties reported by all students in the open-ended questions are the following: 1) Network Connectivity Issues: The TR required a dedicated wireless network. Connection losses occurred between the remote operator and the TR, requiring reconnection and provoking difficulties in their collaboration. Problems also arose when the TR switched between wireless networks, often resulting in signal loss and requiring manual reconnection; 2) Audio Quality Problems: Remote operators had difficulty hearing local users when there was noise in the laboratory due to the lack of noise cancellation functionality. Additionally, remote operators had to wear headphones to prevent audio feedback that made communication impossible; 3) Screen Visibility Limitations: Remote operators wanted the ability to zoom in on local users' screens in the laboratory and vice versa. This was particularly requested by local users even when remote users were sharing their screens. In conclusion, this study aimed to assess the acceptance and effectiveness of integrating TR in higher education settings. The results showed overwhelmingly positive perceptions among both inclass and out-of-class students regarding TR use despite the technical issues occurred. These findings suggest that integrating TR technology can foster dynamic and interactive learning environments, potentially improving student engagement and learning outcomes. Furthermore, ongoing statistical analysis indicates a significant relationship between the perceived ease of use of TR and the intention to utilize it. Further details will be presented in a future paper.
This publication was partially supported by Erasmus+ project “TRinE: Telepresence Robots in Education”. Project Reference: 2020-1-MT01-KA227-SCH-092408. This publication reflects the views only of the authors. The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
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