Learners experiences of real-time simulation activities using SMS text messaging Sarah Cornelius...

Learners’ experiences of real-time simulation activities

using SMS text messaging

Sarah CorneliusPhil Marston

Alastair GemmellChris Aldred

www.abdn.ac.uk

Source: www.vaison-la-romaine.com

Simulation example 1: flood disaster

Simulation example 2:

mentoring

TQAL Project

What is an SMS simulation?

• Replication of authentic situation

• Communication through SMS

• Real time

• Requires decision making by learners

• Personalised scenario and outcome

• Application of theoretical knowledge to practical situation

Research

Flood sim• Final year

undergraduates• On-campus students• Assessed activity at end

of course• Questionnaire

respondents = 15 • Interviews

– 2 students, tutor +

ed tech.

Mentoring sim• Professional, work-based

learning• Off-campus• Non assessed activity at

start of course• Questionnaire

respondents = 14 • Interviews

– 3 students, tutor +

ed tech.

General characteristics

Flood sim• Established

community of learners• Mobile phone as

‘extension of self’• Texters• Enthusiastic about

innovation (especially in relation to assessment)

Mentoring sim• New community of

learners• Mobile phone for

convenience• Talkers• Enthusiastic about

innovation (learning to develop own practice)

Implications of ‘real time’

• Flood sim participants more likely– to look forward to arrival of next message– to enjoy the real time aspect

• Mentoring sim participants more likely – that activity intrudes negatively on other

aspects of life– that messages arrived at inconvenient times

Emerging issues

• Flood sim– Engagement– Emotional involvement – Different perspectives on course content– Alternative assessment approach

• Mentoring sim– Technical and briefing issues affected experience– Issues of control and communication for learners

Making SMS sims work• Design ‘virtual context*’

– persistent, consistent, realistic physical and social scenario where txt is an appropriate tool for communication, with sensitivity to learners’ real context

• Briefing– Develop understanding of virtual context, learner’s role, timing of

activity• Familiarisation

– Pilot run to ensure technical competence and prepare for disruption

• Simulation – Promote cognitive engagement, disrupt, technical issues

• Reflection – Assessment, discussion – articulation of experiences

* see forthcoming ALT-J article

Where next?

• Further development of technical tools and user interface for academics

• Exploration of issues of virtual context, presence, disruption, curiosity…

• New application areas: including medical and educational scenarios

Sarah Cornelius s.cornelius@abdn.ac.uk

Cornelius S and Marston P (in press) Towards an understanding of the virtual contextin mobile learning. ALT-J 17(3)

With thanks to: