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Title:
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MAPPING CHALLENGE: A CASE STUDY IN THE USE OF MOBILE PHONES IN COLLABORATIVE, CONTEXTUAL LEARNING |
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Author(s):
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Niamh Mcgreen , Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez |
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ISBN:
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972-8939-02-7 |
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Editors:
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Pedro Isaías, Carmel Borg, Piet Kommers and Philip Bonanno |
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Year:
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2005 |
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Edition:
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Single |
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Keywords:
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Ubiquitous learning, mobile phones, contextual learning, collaborative learning, informal learning. |
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Type:
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Short Paper |
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First Page:
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213 |
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Last Page:
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217 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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Traditional methods of classroom education can involve the transfer of knowledge as abstract concepts divorced from the context in which these are used. Contextual learning brings the learning into a context that is more meaningful for the learning content (McLellan, 1996). Physical contextualisation, through field trips and site visits, is reported in the learning literature (Michie, 1998). Collaborative learning enables knowledge acquisition from collaborative partners and stimulates cognitive processes such as articulation and internalisation (Dillenbourg, 1999). Against this background, this paper investigates the use of mobile devices to support collaborative contextual learning. In particular, it discusses the design and development of a learning tool for mobile phones. The tool, intended for learning outside the classroom, was designed upon collaborative principles and focuses on contextual collaboration between team members during the execution of tasks. A pilot project involving children practicing map reading skills was run. The exercise brought the participants to various locations in a town where, via the mobile phone, they were given collaborative tasks to perform. On completion of the tasks, the results were analysed to determine the effectiveness of the exercise as a contextual learning experience and the occurrence of meaningful collaboration. Preliminary results indicate the suitability of mobile phones, despite their many limitations, to support contextual collaborative learning experiences that place the concepts learnt in their real setting. |
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