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From Video-Conferencing to Holoportation and Haptics: How Emerging Technologies Can Enhance Presence in Online Education?

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Emerging Technologies and Pedagogies in the Curriculum

Abstract

Video-conferencing, if used effectively, can support learning and teaching in online and distance learning serving the human need to communicate, and to learn by watching, and interacting with teachers and learners from anywhere. The demand for a more human approach to online education drives technologists and software developers to investigate new ways of being present online while connected with others, thereby making the experience as real-life as possible. This chapter discusses the implications of using emerging synchronous technologies in online education and explains why educators need to develop their teaching practice and understand the role of presence in online teaching in Higher Education. Drawing on the Tele-Community of Inquiry model, embodied cognition and research into ‘honest signals’ we examine the potential of emerging technologies such as holoportation, holograms, and haptic devices used in augmented learning environments. Innovative examples from Higher Education are presented to illustrate creative ways in which emerging technologies are beginning to be used in teaching practice. Technological advances continue to increase the potential for how synchronous communication technologies can support and improve presence online and enhance virtual and real-time interactions in online education. As these technologies are still emerging there is a great need for further educational research and some directions are highlighted.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Educational Research Department, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK

    Chryssa Themelis & Julie-Ann Sime

Authors
  1. Chryssa Themelis
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  2. Julie-Ann Sime
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Correspondence to Chryssa Themelis .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Educational Technology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China

    Shengquan Yu

  2. Athabasca University, Athabasca, AB, Canada

    Mohamed Ally

  3. Department of Computing Science, International Hellenic University, Thermi, Greece

    Avgoustos Tsinakos

A Glossary of Terms

Augmented Reality

Technology that enables the real world to be enhanced with additional computer-generated information that is perceived at the same time

Avatar

A computer representation of an individual that is used in online games or virtual reality environments

Haptics

Interaction with a computer that involves the sensations of touch and movement that would be felt by a user interacting with objects in real world

Holograms

An image that is projected in 3D and which can be seen in real-life environments

Holoportation

Immersive technology that enables the capture and transmission of high-quality 3D images from one place to another where remote participants can see and hear them, through augmented reality, as if they are present

Presence or Telepresence

A perception, or sense of being there in virtual environments

Synchronous Video Communication (SVC)

Real-time communications with video and audio, i.e. video-conferencing

Tele-proximity

Online embodiment that explains how instructors and students are connected in synchronous networked environment via tele-operations

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Themelis, C., Sime, JA. (2020). From Video-Conferencing to Holoportation and Haptics: How Emerging Technologies Can Enhance Presence in Online Education?. In: Yu, S., Ally, M., Tsinakos, A. (eds) Emerging Technologies and Pedagogies in the Curriculum. Bridging Human and Machine: Future Education with Intelligence. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0618-5_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0618-5_16

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