Informal Learning using Mobile Devices

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Informal Learning using Mobile Devices

• Gill Clough g.m.clough_at_open.ac.uk
• Handheld Learning Conference Oct. 2006

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Informal learning

• Informal learning can be defined as
• Learning in which both goals and processes of
  learning are defined by the learner, and where
  the learning is situated rather than
  pre-established (Vavoula, 2004)
• Up to 98 of adults engage in informal
  learning(Tough, 1979)
• Adults spend an average of 15h per week on
  informal learning projects (Canadian Study
  Livingston, 2000)

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Research Questions

• Are mobile devices used to support informal
  learning?
• Does the collaborative potential of mobile
  devices translate into collaborative learning?

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Method

• PDA and Smartphone enthusiasts recruited from web
  forums
• PDAStreet at http//www.pdastreet.com/forums/index
  .php
• Wormhole Creations PocketPC and Smartphone forums
  at http//www.wormholecreations.com.au/wc/megabbs/
  wormhole/index.asp
• PocketPC Forums at http//www.pocketpcmag.com/foru
  m/forum.asp
• Handheld Learning forum at http//www.handheldlear
  ning.co.uk/
• Laptop and PDA User Forum on the OU student web
  site
• Participants invited to complete a web
  questionnaire

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Responses

• Over 200 responses
• Of these responses, over 100 described informal
  learning with mobile devices
• Are mobile devices used to support informal
  learning?
• Yes

Research Question 1
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Informal learning activities
PDA/Smartphone Activity Percentage of PDA/Smartphone users doing activity Percentage of PDA/Smartphone users doing activity Percentage of PDA/Smartphone users doing activity
PDA/Smartphone Activity Cumulative daily weekly Daily Weekly
Write Notes 70 47 23
Browse the web 45 21 24
Read e-books 42 20 22
Photos store, view or share 41 18 23
Read and contribute to web forums 33 18 15
Take photos 23 6 17
Record audio 14 1 13
Write applications 14 9 5
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Mobile Learning Framework
Based on functional framework for mobile learning
- Patten et al., 2006
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Typology of Informal Learning
(Vavoula, 2004)
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Intentional informal learning

• Retrieving reference material relating to
  specific context
• Downloadable online or onsite -Museum, zoo or
  aquarium tour narrative and expanded exhibit
  information. -Sightseeing, same thing.
• Researching information on locations I intend to
  visit on holiday.
• Downloading web sites and other documentation to
  have while out with family for reference.
• Parallels formal research scenarios such as the
  electronically guided museum visits described by
  Hsi (2003).

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Intentional informal learning (cont.)

• Access to learning material to use while out
• Have downloaded OU course material to my PDA and
  used it when travelling
• Ebooks, I download music theory books and
  philosopy books to keep with me and read on the
  bus or when Im out.
• I use it to download papers that I may be
  interested in from specialist apps (Merck Medicus
  Mobile, Avantgo etc) and from RSS feeds. This is
  automated every morning and I check it all on the
  train to work.

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Intentional Informal Learning (cont.)

• I make flashcards using the notes application.
  To do this, i first write out the question or
  "front side of the flashcard" on the note. Then i
  make a recording of the "back side of the
  flashcard" and put a link to the recording right
  next to the first part. Then, you look at the
  first part, say your answer, then check it with
  the voice recorded correct answer.
• Writing an onboard compiler and most of my
  applications directly in my device, as a hobby
  and a never ending learning process in
  programming knowledge. The ultimate knowledge
  being for me to write a compiler ("an application
  to build other applications").

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Intentional informal learning (cont.)

• Recording notes, audio, images for later
  reflection
• Take pictures of diagrams, models and
  participants to aid retention of knowledge from a
  workshop/seminar, or pictures of electronic
  components showing connection layouts
• took pictures of the textile designs with treo,
  wrote notes....
• Making notes, keeping information with me so i
  can revise it often.

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Unintentional informal learning

• Mobile connectivity provides situated access to
  information
• I also frequently look things up with Google if
  something piques my interest. eg finding out
  about a band I hear, or about a place I saw on
  TV.
• This week I looked up the bitter history of Pink
  Floyd while watching Live8 on TV.
• I do a lot of informal learning through
  wikipedia.org (and that includes using it on my
  smartphone). I may be thinking about a subject
  and then I can quickly get out my phone and look
  the subject matter up on the internet

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Unintentional informal learning (cont.)

• I learned the history of soft drinks after
  checking who owned 7-UP during dinner. I learned
  about the Ironman Triathlon after watching the
  Tour de France. I looked up the greatest cowboy
  in the world after seeing something on TV (Ty
  Warner). Whenever a question comes up somewhere,
  I whip out my pda and look it up.
• Surfing the web where a laptop is impractical
  (e.g. in bed - how sad!).

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Research Question 2

• Does the collaborative potential of mobile
  devices translate into collaborative learning?
• Asked if they used their device to communicate
  with others
• 100 Smartphone users responded yes
• Of which 19 said they did collaborative informal
  learning
• 80 PDA users responded yes
• Of which 21 reported collaborative informal
  learning

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Collaborative activities

• Weblogs
• Can be updated by more than one person
• Wikis
• Group website, collaboratively maintained
• Web forums
• Themed websites maintained by administrators
  containing threads to which members may
  contribute
• Beaming
• F2F information sharing using infra-red

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Collaborative activities

• I regularly contribute, also, to Palm PDA forums
  (at www.1src.com) again to learn from others and
  also to add my own experience to the community's
  knowledge
• ...forums are also a great resource for pooling
  collective knowledge and experiences

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Future Directions

• Devices have more powerful capabilities
• GPRS wifi for internet communication
• GPS for location-based activities
• Higher quality cameras
• Does the mobile connectivity, location-awareness
  and powerful communicative features support
  learners in informal science learning, and if so
  how?
• What is the role played by co-operatively created
  virtual knowledge repositories in informal
  science learning?

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Gill CloughInstitute of Educational
TechnologyThe Open UniversityWalton HallMilton
KeynesMK7 6AA
Supervisors Professor Eileen ScanlonDr Ann
JonesDr Patrick McAndrew

• www.open.ac.uk
• g.m.clough_at_open.ac.uk

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Bibliography

• Hsi, H. (2003) 'A Study of User Experiences
  Mediated by Nomadic Web Content in a Museum',
  Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, vol. 19,
  pp. 308-319.
• Livingston, D. (2000) 'Exploring the Icebergs of
  Adult Learning Findings of the first Canadian
  Survey of Informal Learning Practices', online.
  Available from http//tortoise.oise.utoronto.ca/
  dlivingstone/icebergs/ (Accessed October 10,
  2006)
• Patten, B., Arnedillo Sanchez, I. and Tangney, B.
  (2006) Computers Education, 46, 294-308.
• Tough, A. (1979) The Adult's Learning Projects,
  Ontario Institute for Studies in Education,
  Ontario.
• Vavoula, G. (2004), 'KLeOS A Knowledge and
  Learning Organisation System in Support of
  Lifelong Learning.' PhD Thesis, Birmingham,
  University of Birmingham.