The Surrogate Avatar Experience (SuAvE) as an Integrated System in the Hybridization of Higher Education

Abstract

Hybrid learning demand, especially in a post-pandemic context, has reshaped higher education, demanding new approaches to the pedagogy of instruction and to the integration of advanced technologies. Hybrid learning, which combines face-to-face and virtual learning activities, offers flexibility but also presents challenges, particularly in replicating the embodied experiences of traditional classrooms. This thesis explores the Surrogate Avatar Experience (SuAvE) as a sociotechnical system designed to enhance hybrid learning environments by enabling remote students to engage with physical classroom settings more fully through a Surrogate Avatar volunteer. SuAvE aims to address the lack of embodiment - a key issue in virtual and hybrid learning - by allowing students to experience the interactions in the physical environment remotely.

Employing a constructivist grounded theory approach, the research co-constructs methodology with participants and the researcher, allowing theories to emerge organically from qualitative data gathered through interviews and iterative SuAvE implementations. The study is structured in two parts: a holistic examination of SuAvE's integration into higher education and a focused analysis of additional factors influencing its implementation. The research aims to determine SuAvE's capacity to overcome the challenges of hybrid learning, particularly in fostering embodied experiences that are often diminished in virtual settings.

The discussion will analyze SuAvE as an integrated system in educational contexts, assessing its potential to bridge the gap between physical and virtual learning experiences. It specifically assesses 4 observed themes, where it is identified to be a technology utilized in facilitating relational spaces in social and collaborative learning classrooms. It will identify key challenges observed with technological and accessory devices, as well as motivational factors to increase participation. These themes will be used to determine the future scope of SuAvE, considering its broader implications for the digitalization of education and its role in creating more inclusive, interactive, and effective learning environments in higher education and beyond.