Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Gwo-Jen Hwang Graduate Institute of Digital Learning and Education National Taiwan University of Science and Technology

Research Issues and Applications of Context-Aware Ubiquitous Learning 2 Gwo-Jen Hwang M-Learning vs. U-Learning U-Learning  emphasizing “learning can be proceeded at any place and in any time.”  An ideal case of learning M-Learning  A kind of learning using mobile technologies to facilitate students to learn  emphasizing the use of mobile technologies or the mobility of students in the learning process. M-learning is a way to achieve the aim of u- learning (via using mobile technologies).

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning M-learning/u-learning with sensing technologies Some researchers have tried to conduct m- learning or u-learning activities with sensing technologies (e.g., GPS, RFID, or QR-codes). Context-aware ubiquitous learning- the approach that uses mobile, wireless communication and sensing technologies to support real-world learning activities (Hwang, Tsai, & Yang, 2008) Gwo-Jen Hwang*, Chin-Chung Tsai and Stephen J.H. Yang (2008), “Criteria, Strategies and Research Issues of Context-Aware Ubiquitous Learning”, Educational Technology & Society, 11(2),

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Ubiquitous Learning (anywhere and anytime learning) Mobile Learning (the use of mobile and wireless communication technologies in learning) Context-Aware U-Learning (Learning with mobile, wireless communications and sensing technologies) Broad sense definition More specific definitions of u- learning Gwo-Jen Hwang*, Chin-Chung Tsai and Stephen J.H. Yang (2008), “Criteria, Strategies and Research Issues of Context-Aware Ubiquitous Learning”, Educational Technology & Society, 11(2),

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Example of a context-aware u-learning environment using RFID Once the student walks close to a learning target, the RFID reader can receive the information from the corresponding tag. Target Object 1 Target Object 2 Target Object 3 Target Object 4 Target Object 5 Each student has a mobile device equipped with an RFID reader and wireless communication facility. Each learning target (e.g., a plant, a building, or an object) has an RFID tag on it. The learning system is executed on the server

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Benefits of using sensing technologies (e.g., GPS, QR-code, RFID) - although they are not always necessary The learning system is able to guide the students in the real world via detecting their locations The learning system can more actively provide learning supports (e.g., hints, warnings or supplementary materials) to the learners if necessary  Warn the students before something goes wrong in a dangerous chemical experiment

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning More parameters can be recorded with the help of sensing technologies Personal context in the real world: learner’s location, time of arrival, body temperature, heartbeat, blood pressure, etc. Environmental context : the learning target’s ID and location, the environmental temperature, humidity, air ingredients, and other parameters of the environment around the sensor The data collected by the students in fields, e.g. PH value of water. Personal data in the database : learner’s profile and learning portfolio, such as the predefined schedule, starting time of a learning activity, the longest and shortest acceptable time period, place, learning sequences. Environmental data in the database : equipment in the lab, the rules of using the equipment, the time table of using the lab

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Research Issues of mobile and ubiquitous learning Proposing new strategies or tools for supporting m-learning or u-learning activities Developing adaptive or collaborative m-learning or u-learning environments Investigating students’ real-world learning status from different aspects, such as  learning achievement and problem-solving skills  learning style and cognitive style  cognitive load, learning motivation and attitudes  learning behaviors and learning patterns Re-examining some well-recognized e-learning issues, such as TAM

Early applications -Serving as a Tutor for Science Observations The m/u-learning systems serve as a personalized tutor to guide the students to observe a set of learning targets in the real world.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Applications in Elementary School Natural Science Courses In the Natural Science courses of elementary schools in Taiwan  the students need to learn to observe and classify some learning targets (e.g., plants on school campus, butterflies in the ecology garden) Such abilities (i.e., observation and classification) are important learning objectives of science education.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Traditional “Butterfly and Ecology” learning activity A teacher usually needs to train 10 or more students at the same time.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning In such a one-to-many instruction mode: It is difficult to provide personalized instructions or feedback to the students or to record their learning status.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Scenario 1: Butterfly museum Students are guided by the u-learning system to learn to identify different types of butterflies based on the appearances of the butterflies. more than 10 thousands Butterfly samples

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Location of the target butterfly What is the name of the butterfly in front of you? The most significant feature for differentiating the two butterflies Observe and compare the target butterfly with other butterflies based on the feature.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Scenario 2: Butterfly ecology garden The Butterfly Ecology Garden consists of 25 ecology areas for raising host plants of butterflies. Hui-Chun Chu, Gwo-Jen Hwang*, Shu-Xian Huang and Ting-Ting Wu (2008), “A Knowledge Engineering Approach to Developing E-Libraries for Mobile Learning”, The Electronic Library. 26(3),

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning TAG Reader The student holds a PDA equipped with an RFID reader Each ecology area of butterflies has an RFID tag Learning tasks or supplementary materials

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning The students are guided by the learning system to observe the host plants and the butterfly ecology in each target area.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Some preliminary findings in the early studies Advantages of the u-learning approach  Providing a personalized guide for individual students in the real world  Providing supplementary materials and hints in the right place and at the right time  Motivating the students to learn To engage students in higher order thinking, more effective learning supports or knowledge construction tools are needed

Recent applications - Leading in Mindtools for m/u-learning activities

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Definitions of Mindtools Jonassen (1999, p9) described Mindtools as “a way of using a computer application program to engage learners in constructive, higher-order, critical thinking about the subjects they are studying.”

Mindtools used in our studies Grid-based Mindtool (i.e., repertory grid)  Helping students organize the information for identify and differentiate a set of learning targets based on the features of the targets Concept maps (a graphical tool)  Helping students identify the relationships between what they have observed in the field and their prior knowledge learned from the textbooks Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning

Positive (1)  relationship between them  opposite(5) Grid-based Mindtool- Repertory grid Identify a set of plants in school campus Elements (e.g., names of the plants) Positive feature (1) Golden Chinese banyan Arigated- leaf croton Cuphea Indian almond Opposite feature (5) Leaf-shape is long and thin 1225 Leaf-shape is flat and round The leaf has a tapering point 3115 The leaf has a hollow point Perfectly smooth leaf edge 1141 The leaf edge has deep indents Features for identifying the plants. A 5-scale rating mechanism

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Two stages for providing u-learning supports based on the repertory grid 1st stage- creating the objective repertory grid by teachers 2nd stage- using the objective repertory grid to help students develop their repertory grids

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning The Objective RG The RG constructed by the student The student is asked to observe the “leaf shape” of “Lalang grass” by asking a question. The learning mission: observing the “leaf shape” of “Lalang grass” and answer the following question.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning The Objective RG The RG constructed by the student The student has correctly answered the “leaf shape” of “Lalang grass” to be “long and thin”, and is asked to give more detailed descriptions. Acicular Linear Lance-shaped

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning The RG constructed by the student The Objective RG The student is asked to observe the leaf shape of “Lalang grass” and has given an incorrect answer. The student is asked to observe the leaf shape of “Indian Almond” and compare it with the leaf shape of Lalang grass”. Flat and round Long and thin Flat and round

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Experiment Design Subject unit : “Knowing the plants on school campus” of the Natural Science course Comparing the u-learning performance of the students who learned with/without the Mindtool

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Comparing u-Mindtool learning with u-Learning Participants: 61 fifth graders  Control group: 29 students, learned with a conventional tour-based u-learning system that provided location guidance and supplementary materials  Experimental group: 32 students, learned with the Repertory Grid-oriented u-learning approach

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Part of our findings-Learning Achievements Table 1. t-test of the pre-test results NMeanS.D.t V1control group V2experimental group Table 2. Descriptive data, and ANCOVA of the post-test results The use of Mindtools in u- learning is effective.

A follow-up learning activity The students needed to determine the features for identifying the learning targets when developing repertory grids. Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning

After the field trip, they can share their findings to peers via a knowledge-sharing interface. Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning

Concept map-oriented Mindtool for u-learning Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 1. Develop concept maps in the classroom based on what they have learned from the textbooks. 2. Go to the field to observe the ecology of butterflies. 3. Go back to the classroom to modify their concept maps

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning “Idea leuconoe clara” Concept to be modified New concept Interface for entering Chinese character s The students can browse and modify their concept maps via the mobile devices. Take notes for what they have found during the learning activities.

Experimental results It was found that, with the help of the Mindtools, the students’ learning achievements, motivations and attitudes were significantly improved in comparisons with traditional in-field learning or tour- based u-learning. This implies the importance of providing learning supports for u-learning activities. Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning

Context-Aware U- Learning for complex experiment procedures

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Background and Motivation Development of a context-aware u-learning system for training the “Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction” procedure in a Chemistry course. It is the most effective method for analyzing 3D structure of compound materials. The learners are graduated or PhD students in chemistry or material departments. It is time-consuming to train a new researcher (usually 6 months to 1 year) The operations could be dangerous, and hence the learner requires full-time guidance during the training process

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Microscope products – examining, selecting, crystal mounting leaner Indexing, data collecting Centering and aligning the sample Single Crystal X-ray Diffractometer Instructing Data transmitting PC Data processing & Structure determination PC (1) (2) (3) Location: 2 nd floor, R 204 Location: 2 nd floor, R 203 Location: 1 st floor, R 126 Expert System Ubiquitous learning environment Give advice or hints based on the context Context of learner RFID Temperature meter

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Stage 1: Select a crystal of good quality and suitable size through an optical microscope and mount the crystal on the top of the glass fiber. The expert system guides the learner to complete the procedure and check if the selected crystal is usable.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Stage 2: Analyze the crystal by operating the X-ray diffractometer to find the cell constants within acceptable deviation. This stage is very complex since there are several rules to be followed and various parameters to be considered.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Stage 3: Determine the 3D structure of the crystal- line solid using a special program The outputs of the program include the shape, the exact distance between atoms, and other parameters for describing the structure.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Benefits of the context-aware u- learning approach based on the responses from 5 researchers who had 6 months experiences and the system logs of 5 new learners

Other applications of U-Learning

U-learning for Local culture courses Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Love our ancient assets, love our local culture. Temples or ancient buildings.

Learning task 1- observe learning targets Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Pillar with dragon statue Only the goods for the king can have dragons with five claws on them. The background story of each learning target

Learning task 2- read the ancient records on the learning targets Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning

Learning task 3- Search for supplementary materials on the Internet Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Ancient decorations in the temple

Learning task 4- touch and feel the material of the learning targets Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Stone Drum

U-learning for nursing courses Develop several u-learning systems for clinical nursing courses. Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Interview the patient and record her health status.

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 49 U-learning activities in a Science park Learn to operate scientific devices with the help of the u-learning system

Step1: guide the students to find the target device Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 50 The device for simulate the sun in winter and summer.

Step 2: Present the learning tasks and the complementary materials Link the functionality of the device to the knowledge learned from the textbook Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 51

Step 3: Ask the students to operate the devices Students are asked to operate the devices and record the data shown by the device to complete their learning tasks Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 52 What happens to the pointer on the device?

儀器操作、教學 If the students fail to correctly operate the device, a tutorial is given. Step 4: Provide learning guidance and feedback to the students … 再次測驗 Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 53

Number of participants per year Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 54

Experimental results All of the experiments have been conducted by arranging experimental groups and control groups. It is found that the u-learning approach is able to assist students in improving their learning achievements, motivations, attitudes if proper learning supports are provided. Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning 55

The on-going project 56

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Inquiry-based learning activities in Chi-Gu ecology park in southern Taiwan In this area, there are Mangroves, Black-Face Spoonbills and Fiddler Crabs. Fiddler Crabs Mangroves,Black-Face Spoonbills 57

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning The students are equipped with a smartphone (or PDA), a telescope and a set of probe devices to collect data in the ecology park. Build the ecology database for the target areas 58

Research Issues and Applications of Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning Conclusions The popularity of mobile, wireless communication and sensing technologies has brought us some new aspects for perceiving education. It is worth re-examining or re-defining many e-learning issues (e.g., TAM, personalization models) New learning strategies or tools can be developed. 59

Thank you for your attention! 60

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