Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
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 [email protected]
Cornelius S and Marston P (in press) Towards an understanding of the virtual contextin mobile learning. ALT-J 17(3)
With thanks to:
