Context

Investigate learners' use of mobile phone software in the field, with a view to learning mathematics 'in the wild'. Study undertaken by Kevin Walker.

Aims

This case study explores the use of mobile technology to create personalised learning trails, through the capture, editing and sharing of audio, photos and text during visits to museums, botanic gardens and other cultural heritage sites. It is a pilot for considering the wider implications of device use by students before bring mathematical thinking ‘into the wild’ in the form of mobile games.

Details

In the trials described here, pictures, audio recordings and text are captured during a visit using a mobile phone.  Using special software the data are automatically uploaded to a web site where the captured trail can be edited, added to, and re-ordered in a way meaningful to the visitor.  The trail can then be shared with others, as either an online or classroom presentation. 

The captured data is analysed in relation to the task, and its relative quality in relation to the task.  In addition, the trials were recorded with video, audio and photos, and this is treated as data - specifically footage and photos of students using conducting activities and using the system, and more importantly, students' conversations as they conducted the activities and used the system.  This is augmented with interviews with the teachers, venue staff (in this case, educational coordinators at the botanic garden), other participating researchers, and the developers of the system, in order to attempt a comprehensive picture of the trials.

Focused trials began in June 2006 using the My Art Space (http://myartspace.org.uk) service.  Four classes of school children aged nine to 10 visited Kew Gardens, a large botanic garden in London.  Each class visit occurred on a different day.  Each class was put into groups of four to five students, and each group given one mobile phone containing software enabling them to easily capture photos, audio and text, all of which was automatically sent to a web site. 

Using museum metaphors, learners capture 'objects' (in the form of photos, audio or text) which are automatically placed in a linear 'gallery' which provides a minimal structure for linking them together thematically.  New objects can also be created at the site, and photos and audio files can be uploaded or copied from teachers' or other students' galleries.  Galleries can be further customised somewhat with regard to colours and fonts. 
   
Learners can also 'collect' objects that the museum (or botanic garden in this case) has tagged with two-letter codes.  When a learner selects 'Collect an object' on the phone and enters a code, the phone downloads information that the museum has entered for that object.  This is meant to provide additional explanatory or contextualised information about museum objects one the phone. 
   
Teachers can create their own galleries, and each class has its own 'store' containing all the objects created and collected by students, which they can all access.  Students can copy teachers' or other students' objects to use in their own galleries; in such case this is made explicit and the student is asked to justify/explain why they are copying it. 

Preliminary results indicate that the audio recording facility proved to be the most interesting.  Teachers praised the function because children could easily input information – especially those who might have difficulty in writing. Each audio clip could only be 15 seconds long, and students treated this limitation in one of two ways.  Some students (especially girls) would carefully script and rehearse their recordings, while others (especially boys) would simply press record and if they didn't like the result, discard it and start again.

Students learned very quickly how to use the mobile phones.  There were some inevitable technical problems, with the software sometimes logging out unexpectedly for example.  Generally the software is simple to use and there is no easy way for students to access the phone's other capabilities (the phones were restricted from making calls and sending text messages).

References and links

A method for creating collaborative mobile learning trails
Kaleidoscope (2006) Convergence Workshop, 'Intersecting and integrating collaborative-mobile-inquiry learning,' Amsterdam, 4-6 Dec. 2006.