Public libraries, mobile learning and the creative citizen

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Public libraries, mobile learning and the
creative citizen

• Geoff Butters Margaret Markland, CERLIM
• Rob Davies, MDR Partners
• and the eMapps project

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Learners in the digital era

• Todays learners as digitally literate
• always on, mobile, experimental and community
  oriented
• Those born after 1982 are digital natives
• grew up with exposure to the internet and mobile
  devices
• stays in contact through SMS, mobile phones,
  chatrooms and email
• simultaneously plays computer games, listens to
  music and watches television
• Older than 25 are digital immigrants
• numbers are huge in all age groups

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Kids are different today

• Operate at twitch speed rather than
  conventional speed
• Parallel processors rather than linear processors
• Choose graphics and animation over text
• Random accessors of information
• Prefer connected to stand-alone
• Active not passive
• Expect reward for effort
• See play as work and work as play
• Expect fantasy and reality in equal measure
• View technology as life, not a separate activity
• (Marc Prensky, 2001)

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Kids are different today (2)

• Young children spend twice as much on screen
  time as playing outside and as they do reading
• Work with multiple sources of information at the
  same time
• (chat, TV, Internet and music)
• 75 use chat and email to keep in touch, conduct
  multiple conversations
• Use computer technology almost as much as
  television

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Games and mobile technology in learning

• Lifelong learning
• Constructivist concepts (vs instructivist)
• learners actively construct their own
  understanding of the world
• People learn best when they are motivated and
  entertained
• games provide a flow experience
• playful experimentation to develop understanding
  of the physical world and our place within it.
• Can use location to trigger events - GPS
• Draw on contextual content
• Personal mobile technology
• equip learners with powerful tools for creation
  and use of content

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Gaming characteristics

• Motivation, challenge, fantasy, curiosity
• Player able to affect outcome of the game
• An overriding goal/challenge sub-goals
• Positive and negative outcomes based on player
  actions
• Require mental and/or physical skill
• Outcome uncertain at the outset
• Player required to develop strategies in order to
  succeed
• Offer multiple paths to success
• Players can ultimately overcome most obstacles

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Mobile learning characteristics

• Ubiquitous
• March 2006, 100 penetration rate for Western
  Europe a mobile phone for every person in the
  population.
• Bite sized
• in short segments, simple, structured, use media
  carefully, easy access, often task-based
• On demand
• time shift flexibility provided to the learner
  to access learning in best time and place
• audio, video, collaborative learning
• Typically blended
• used as part of a wider set of learning
  interventions
• NOT e-learning on a phone
• Can be location dependent (but doesnt have to
  be)

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Mobile devices and games

• Mobile devices well suited to structured quizzes
  and games
• delivered as SMS messages asking the user to
  choose an option and respond, e.g with a deadline
  
• can be delivered with a push to WAP-enabled
  phones,
• Java-based quizzes/games provide increased
  potential
• can be an effective part of an overall blended
  approach
• Feedback can come from a teacher
• using PC to SMS or chat applications for groups
• Care needed with costs for the learner
• download or connection charge
• provide alternative format e.g. download to PC
  then sideload to mobile

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Gaming in libraries

• Public, school and academic libraries
• proactively, creatively, and affordably integrate
  gaming into services and programs
• case studies show gaming very popular with users
• cognitive workouts enhance development of
  learning and literacy skills
• USA is ahead - see
• Gaming and Libraries Intersection of Services by
  Jenny Levine (Library Technology Reports,
  Sept/Oct.2006, vol 42 no.5. https//publications.
  techsource.ala.org/products/archive.pl?article258
  5)
• EC projects such as AITMES and Il Greco
• Potential for museums, too.

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Challenges for libraries

• Building a learning culture into their policies
• Recognition as a key player in lifelong learning
  
• advocacy
• Accepting their new role and the use of
  technology
• Workforce competence of library staff
• to support and mentor learners
• develop and provide digital services
• Partnerships or competition in learning
  provision?
• Structured or accredited learning?
• Evidence evaluation and impact measurement

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eMapps.com

• Using computer games and mobile technologies in
  teaching and learning.

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eMapps.com

• Research project
• Part of the European Unions Information Society
  Technologies RD Programme
• Working with schools in the New Member States
  (NMS) of the EUEstonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
  Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary
  Slovenia

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eMapps is about . . Capturing digital objects
. . . .
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. . . and running mobile applications
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A map-based game

• Before the game is played
• Digital map with a route, marked with stopping
  points, and tasks or challenges
• When the game is played
• Team of 6-8 players, in one of two places
• 2 back at base working the game platform
• 4-6 out in the field navigating around the map
• Solving clues / challenges
• Uploading evidence and information about the
  tasks including GPS position
• Use chat to communicate

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The map that was the background to the last slide
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Summer School, Nida, Lithuania, 2006

• Primary School Teachers from the eight NMS
  learning to create online games to be played
  outdoors, based on navigating around a map,
  answering clues, solving puzzles and completing
  challenges

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After the gamea montage of some of the objects
they found
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Handheld mobile devices in the field
Pocket PC/Smartphone with still and video
camera audio recording runs pocket PC
software with web browser possibly WiFi wireless
connection uploading capabilities communication
capability GPS device for checking location
coordinates
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Children playing the game
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Desktop / game platform back at base 1
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Desktop / game platform back at base 2
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• eMapps . . .
• Is a game pupils play
• exploring the concept of games in LT
• Teachers are the game designers
• with technical help
• Live mobile uploading to the desktop
• with GPS coordinates to a position on map
• Some players out in the field, some back at base
• Teacher controller at base
• Incorporates a chat system
• for communication between field and base
• Takes place in the New Member States
• ie. East European countries

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Where to find out more

• http//www.emapps.com/index2.html
• http//www.cerlim.ac.uk/projects/emapps/index.php

The acronym expansion ? Motivating Active
Participation of Primary Schoolchildren in
Digital Online Technologies for Creative
Opportunities through Multimedia eMapps.com

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Where to find out more

• http//www.emapps.com/index2.html
• http//www.cerlim.ac.uk/projects/emapps/index.php

The acronym expansion ? Motivating Active
Participation of Primary Schoolchildren in
Digital Online Technologies for Creative
Opportunities through Multimedia eMapps.com