Time and presence in learning environments
What is it about?
Students today need to study in online spaces such as Zoom in addition to attending classes in person, but how do they navigate and understand the totality of experiences across such spaces? In this study, we sat down with university students to discuss this issue further. We found that the concept of presence, subjective understanding of being there, was the key concept used to explain why certain learning spaces and conditions could be favorable or unfavorable for learning. At the same time, it was also important to understand the background of each student.
Why is it important?
This article concretely unpacks the concept of presence to better explain why the learning experience in a physical or online space may dramatically vary between students. It also demonstrates that learning involves understanding the characteristics of the environment and its relationship with how we interact with another in addition to our own learning needs and preferences. Such knowledge can help higher education providers to better tailor lessons plans or even curriculums.