Mobile Informal Learning - Emerging Practices

Mobile Informal LearningEmerging Practices

Christian GlahnCELSTEC, Open University of the Netherlands

Mobile telephones are ubiquitous

Mobil telephones are (almost) always available

(almost) Every recent mobile telephone is a “Smart Phone”

Interfaces• Camera• Mikrophone • Speaker• Color display• Vibration

Funktionen• Clock/ timer• Calendar• Internet access• App-ready

Vendor Images used without permission

All recent Smart Phones have a compass and GPS built in

Mobile telephones have a large potential for supporting informal learning

Theories agree

Mobility+

Learning

Situational awareness

Flexibility

Collaboration

Time management

Cultural competences

Sociale competences

Languages

Personalisation

The mobility of the learner

is central

HOW CAN WE USE THIS POTENTIAL IN PRACTICE?

The challenge

Self-directedUnguided

Unstructured

Embedded in practice

InformalLearning

The educational facets of informal learning

Learning processes

Experience Knowledge

Response

BehaviourActo

r

Monitoring / Assessment

Judgement / Reflection

System

The Traditional View on learning

Learning goal

Response

Behaviour Monitoring / Assessment


Response



Response



Response



Response



Response



Small steps to

wards the learning goal

Informal Learning Processesare not that linear and goal oriented

GoalBehaviour


Response



Response


Response



Response




Response

Behaviour


Response



Goal

Goal

GoalResponse

Behaviour


Behaviour

Behaviour

Fragmented

Convergence

InformalLearning

Situ

ated

ness C

ontinuity

Fragmented

Convergence

MobileLearning

Continuity

Situ

ated

ness

INFORMAL LEARNING IS NOT THE SAME AS MOBILE LEARNING

BOTH LEARNING TYPES HAVE A SIMILAR TENSION AREA

Fragmented

Convergence

Continuity

Situ

ated

ness

Area of Tension

Our educational playground

Interfaces of Mobile Learning

Stationary

Mobile

Personal Social

Instructional Design Principles for Mobile Informal Learning

Learning activities Actors

Rules

Learning resources

Learning Context

Supporting Informal Learning

Response



Connect knowledgeIdentify learning goalsIdentify rhythms

Document processes

Quantify learning

Visualize relations

Anchor Activities

Analyse actions

Support transitions

Facilitate decisions

Examples

LIFE BLOGGINGDocument learning processes

Document as many events of your daily activity as possible!

Task

Life blogging

CAMERAMICROPHONENOTE PAD

Interactions

Life blogging

Data is stored chronologicallyStoring data

Life blogging

Experience movie

Skimming back and forth the experience movie activates episodic knowledge

Learning support

Life blogging

Fragmented

Convergence

Continuity

Situ

ated

ness

Life blogging

ACTIVE SPEAKINGAnalyse actions

Say a given word and compare your pronunciation with the one of a native speaker!

Task

Active speaking

SPEAKERMICROPHONE

Interactions

Active speaking

Data is stored object specificData storage

Performance evidence

Active speaking

Language competencesLearning support

Active speaking

Fragmented

Convergence

Continuity

Situ

ated

ness

Active speaking

ARLEARNAnchor learning activities

Solve a task at a given location!

Create annotations at locations that relate to your assignments!

Set tasks for others at suitable locations!

TasksARlearn

CAMERAMICROPHONEGPSMAP

Interactions

ARlearn

Data is stored location-basedData storage

Learning map

ARlearn

Develop understanding about spatial relationships

Learning support

ARlearn

Fragmented

Convergence

Continuity

Situ

ated

ness

ARlearn

SEAMLESS LEARNINGTransitions between classroom and practice

Photo by EDUCAUSE

Collect examples for a given topic and tag your results!

Task

Seamless Learning

CAMERAMICROPHONETAGGING

Interactions

Seamless Learning

Data is stored thematicallyData storage

Knowledge repository

Seamless Learning

Relating course topics to the daily life

Relations become visible and easier to understand

Learning support

Seamless Learning

Fragmented

Convergence

Continuity

Situ

ated

ness

Seamless Learning

OUTLOOK

Mobile devices can actively support informal learning

Important• Area of tension of fragmentation,

convergence, situatedness, and continuity• Understanding the structure of learning

processes

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Education

Mobile Informal Learning - Emerging Practices