Table Of ContentPedagogy of Tele-Proximity
for eLearning
This book examines networked science and the pedagogy of tele-proximity,
a paradigm that integrates eLearning theories, information technology, and
visual media competencies.
The book conceptualises the idea of tele-proximity as a means to foster
diversity and human-to-human contact online. It uses the lens of Social Physics
and considers how to bridge the distance in eLearning, examining social
connections, collective intelligence, and personal well-being. The book draws
on qualitative and quantitative research in higher education to form fine-tuned
eLearning networks that achieve demosophia, the core of democracy. It charts
the progress of technology-enhanced learning approaches and shows the need
for a sound pedagogical framework that is holistic and sustainable to promote
mindful presence.
Contributing to the literature on eLearning, this timely book will be of great
interest to educational philosophers, policymakers, educators, researchers, and
students in the field of distance education.
Chryssa Themelis is an educational researcher at the Norwegian University of
Science and Technology, Norway. Her research involves technology-enhanced
learning and digital innovation.
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Using Cognitive and Affective Metrics in Educational
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Pedagogy of Tele-Proximity for eLearning
Bridging the Distance with Social Physics
Chryssa Themelis
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Routledge-Research-in-Education/book-series/RRDEET
Pedagogy of Tele-Proximity
for eLearning
Bridging the Distance with Social
Physics
Chryssa Themelis
First published 2023
by Routledge
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© 2023 Chryssa Themelis
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British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British
Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-1-032-21860-1 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-21861-8 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-27032-4 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003270324
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Contents
List of figures vi
List of tables viii
Preface ix
Acknowledgements xii
1 Reflections on new normality and quality education 1
2 Social Physics and Networked Learning – The theoretical
foundation of tele-proximity pedagogy 21
3 Transmedia presence – Layers of embodiment in online
ecologies 35
4 Pedagogy as a life-long journey 49
5 The charismatic connector – Tele-teacher presence (TTP)
in eLearning courses 63
6 The flow of ideas – Tele-cognitive presence (TCP)
in eLearning courses 81
7 Tele-social presence (TSP): Connected for eLearning 94
8 Tele-proximity pedagogy (TPP): Holistic and sustainable
Social Physics for eLearning 119
9 Tele-proximity pedagogy for digital well-being 147
10 Manifesto for humane technology – The eLearning renaissance 166
Index 179
Figures
4.1 The gradual steps from pedagogy to andragogy and heutagogy.
Pedagogy is teacher-centred, and andragogy focuses on
responsibility for learning with others. The final stage is
self-efficacy and awareness. Two prerequisites based on
social learning theories, learner’s e-maturity (eLearning
experiences and digital literacies) and self-efficacy fuelled by
learner’s autonomy 51
5.1 TTP was inspired by the Kanizsa triangle (1955). Although
they are not connected with lines, all the shapes are visually
experienced as a group. Telepresence sometimes is not visible
but illusionary because of the distance (Tele – prefix), but it
aims at collective intelligence – demosophia and democracy
as a point of view – the eye! The black dots represent the
three pillars of the tele-proximity as background. The triangle
frames TTP as the charismatic connector that plays roles
visible or not based on the pedagogy as the science and art
of learning, philosophy of demosophia for the well-being of
all. Social Physics and Networked Learning focus on human-
to-human networked connections and care as thoughtful
work (Goodyear, 2021) in eLearning spaces. The TTP as
Charismatic connector having insight into social dynamics,
nurturing relationships, connecting people, content, and
tools for knowledgeable actions. The TTP focuses on digital
tools and orchestrates actions and media to boost energetic
communication, engagement, and exploration. 74
6.1 TCP was inspired by the Kanizsa triangle (1955). Although
they are not connected with lines, all the shapes are visually
experienced as a group. Telepresence sometimes is not visible
but illusionary because of the distance (Tele – prefix), but it
aims at collective intelligence – demosophia and democracy
as a point of view – the eye! The black dots represent the
three pillars (pedagogy, transmedia presence, and Social
Figures vii
Physics) of the tele-proximity as background. The triangle
frames TCP, the visual flow of ideas, digital tools, and media
(synchronous and asynchronous) and the methodology of
energy, engagement, and exploration in multidisciplinary
networks. 87
7.1 An ideal version of democratic, symmetric communication for
all learners inside circles shows symmetric engagement within
the course while the outside circle exploration with other
networks. The dots are the people, and lines are interactional
patterns. Connecting the dots, the wisdom of the people built
a better eLearning community – the collective intelligence of
the group – the eye. 105
7.2 TSP inspired by the Kanizsa triangle (1955). Although they
are not connected with lines, all the shapes are visually
experienced as a group. Telepresence sometimes is not visible
but illusionary because of the distance (Tele – prefix), but it
aims at collective intelligence – well-being and democracy
as a point of view – the eye! The black dots represent the
three pillars of tele-proximity as background: Social Physics,
transmedia presence, and pedagogy. The illusionary triangle
frames TSP as communication/network immediacy that
embraces intimacy, energy, exploration, and engagement in
eLearning stages or networks (media). 109
8.1 Tele-proximity: Informal learning is depicted within the
square, while formal learning is within the circle.Tele-teacher
presence (TTP) as the charismatic connector, tele-social
presence (TSP) as the network intimacy, and tele-cognitive
presence (TCP) as the ideas flow formulate a triangle that
works on the fuels of social rewards. The arrows emerging
from the three tele-presences are energy, engagement, and
exploration as praxis for teaching, learning, and evaluation in
Social Physics. The end product – the eye-of-the pedagogy on
a macro scale is demosophia, the wisdom of the people – and
micro-scale individual well-being and self-efficacy. 135
Tables
4.1 The principles of heutagogy 52
4.2 The three generations of pedagogies for eLearning courses.
The indicators are the technology, learner’s granularity,
content granularity, teacher’s role, and scalability 54
5.1 The initial categories and indicators for teacher presence and
specified by Garrison et al. (2000, p. 4) 67
5.2 Indicators were identified as examples only concerning the
pillars of tele-proximity pedagogy 75
6.1 Description of the indicators for tele-cognitive presence 89
8.1 The original presences (Garrison et al., 2000) will be revisited
by tele-proximity pedagogy 133
Preface
The weird feeling of the planet spinning out of control when the pandemic
invaded all continents made me and many educators walk in the shoes of the
Little Prince living in an unfamiliar place (de Saint-Exupery, 1943). Educational
praxis and instructional designs lost their meaning during lockdown, because
priorities have changed. I have found myself constantly wondering what these
priorities were about or for whom. eLearning has a long history and tradition
of research; why do educators during the so-called emergency online teaching
follow the exact methods as being in class? What happens to pedagogy? Why do
learning technologists and IT specialists fear it so much? Why do many educa-
tors resist technological change? Is it possible to design for someone else’s learn-
ing? (Goodyear et al., 2014). Nothing made sense at that time!
Critical thinkers such as Giroux (2014) describe the impact of a “pedagogy
of stupidity”, where he argues that the educational climate is wedded to a
profit-driven and repressive system that values memorisation over creativity
and assessment at the expense of collaborative practices. The suffocation of
imagination and the divesting of political positioning from educators and learn-
ers are equivalent to an assault on modern democracy. Democracy and educa-
tion are closely related from antiquity (Ancient Greece) to Dewey (Democracy
and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education, 1916) and
Daniels et al. (What Universities Owe Democracy, 2021). The authors firmly
rationalise the role of higher education in protecting democracy as collective
intelligence.
Studying and researching eLearning for more than two decades, I decided
to talk more about pedagogy, technology-enhancing learning and demosophia
(collective intelligence) as a humane, holistic, and sustainable design. Democ-
racy and demosophia are the principles I hold dear, and those include the belief
that humane pedagogy and practices should be part of every learning experi-
ence for every student.
Pedagogy is the science, philosophy, and art of teaching. It mirrors episteme
(the science of knowledge), the world view, and the artistic expression of educa-
tion. Consequently, it needs a frequent update to follow science and epistemic
fluency. Epistemic fluency is the capacity to understand, switch between, and
