Human Computation and Convergence

Humans are the most effective integrators and producers of information, directly and through the use of information-processing inventions. As these inventions become increasingly sophisticated, the substantive role of humans in processing information will tend toward capabilities that derive from our most complex cognitive processes, e.g., abstraction, creativity, and applied world knowledge. Through the advancement of human computation - methods that leverage the respective strengths of humans and machines in distributed information-processing systems - formerly discrete processes will combine synergistically into increasingly integrated and complex information processing systems. These new, collective systems will exhibit an unprecedented degree of predictive accuracy in modeling physical and techno-social processes, and may ultimately coalesce into a single unified predictive organism, with the capacity to address societies most wicked problems and achieve planetary homeostasis.Comment: Pre-publication draft of chapter. 24 pages, 3 figures; added references to page 1 and 3, and corrected typ

Introduction to location-based mobile learning

[About the book] The report follows on from a 2-day workshop funded by the STELLAR Network of Excellence as part of their 2009 Alpine Rendez-Vous workshop series and is edited by Elizabeth Brown with a foreword from Mike Sharples. Contributors have provided examples of innovative and exciting research projects and practical applications for mobile learning in a location-sensitive setting, including the sharing of good practice and the key findings that have resulted from this work. There is also a debate about whether location-based and contextual learning results in shallower learning strategies and a section detailing the future challenges for location-based learning

Utilize XR as a sustainable service design for Nordic tourism

In the rapidly evolving field of tourism, integrating advanced technologies is crucial for promoting sustainable service design. This study investigates the transformative potential of Extended Reality XR technologies in enhancing sustainable and immersive tourist experiences. Combining service design principles with XR's immersive capabilities, it proposes novel frameworks to boost visitor engagement, environmental consciousness, and cultural preservation. An extensive literature review identifies existing knowledge gaps, which this research aims to fill through a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including user experience studies and environmental impact assessments. The findings highlight XR's role in encouraging eco-friendly tourism practices, reducing carbon footprints, and increasing cultural appreciation. Furthermore, the study offers actionable recommendations for industry stakeholders, advocating XR's integration into tourism services. Contributing both theoretical insights and practical strategies, this research underscores XR's significance in shaping future tourism experiences, promoting immersive, sustainable, and culturally rich services

Augmenting the field experience: a student-led comparison of techniques and technologies

In this study we report on our experiences of creating and running a student fieldtrip exercise which allowed students to compare a range of approaches to the design of technologies for augmenting landscape scenes. The main study site is around Keswick in the English Lake District, Cumbria, UK, an attractive upland environment popular with tourists and walkers. The aim of the exercise for the students was to assess the effectiveness of various forms of geographic information in augmenting real landscape scenes, as mediated through a range of techniques and technologies. These techniques were: computer-generated acetate overlays showing annotated wireframe views from certain key points; a custom-designed application running on a PDA; a mediascape running on the mScape software on a GPS-enabled mobile phone; Google Earth on a tablet PC; and a head-mounted in-field Virtual Reality system. Each group of students had all five techniques available to them, and were tasked with comparing them in the context of creating a visitor guide to the area centred on the field centre. Here we summarise their findings and reflect upon some of the broader research questions emerging from the project

Situated learning and education: development and validation of the future teacher attitudes scale in the application of augmented reality in the classroom

This research article focuses on the design and validation of a questionnaire to analyse future teachers' perceptions of professional skills through the use of Augmented Reality (AR) in higher education, specifically for students in the field of Educational Sciences. The sample consisted of 575 students of Early Childhood Education, Primary Education and Pedagogy during the academic year (2021/2022). The focus of this study is to authenticate a questionnaire that measures the influence of Augmented Reality (AR) on aspects such as situated learning, motivation, and the necessary instructional preparations for the successful integration of AR within classroom educational encounters. The questionnaire is an online Likert-type scale developed based on three dimensions: situated learning, motivation and training. The data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 and JASP 0.17.1. The questionnaire met the standards recommended for validation. However, improvements to the instrument are suggested. In conclusion, validation of instruments is necessary to gain a rigorous understanding of the impact of new learning environments

A Model for Using Physiological Conditions for Proactive Tourist Recommendations

Mobile proactive tourist recommender systems can support tourists by recommending the best choice depending on different contexts related to herself and the environment. In this paper, we propose to utilize wearable sensors to gather health information about a tourist and use them for recommending tourist activities. We discuss a range of wearable devices, sensors to infer physiological conditions of the users, and exemplify the feasibility using a popular self-quantification mobile app. Our main contribution then comprises a data model to derive relations between the parameters measured by the wearable sensors, such as heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, and use them to infer the physiological condition of a user. This model can then be used to derive classes of tourist activities that determine which items should be recommended

Augmented Reality Technology Used To Enhance Informal Science Learning

With science advancements ever-changing and an increased use of multimedia to display information to the public, science literacy and critical thinking skills are important for the public to keep up to date. Students will need to know how to interpret science information they are faced with throughout their lives to make decisions and critique scientific arguments (Squire & Mingfong, 2007). Science education reform is becoming more focused on incorporating science practices with the use of tools and processes to enhance learning. An authentic learning experience can be described as experiencing real problems and consequences in context (Rosenbaum et al., 2007). Augmented reality technology can be used to create authentic learning experiences as it allows for many unique affordances in the field such as place based learning context, personal embodiment of a role, and solving a problem modeling real life science research.This paper will examine augmented reality technology in science education and the pedagogical support behind this technique. The project is comprised of a literature review discussing the benefits and support for augmented reality games used in science education followed by the descriptions of six different augmented reality science games that were created using the online platform “Taleblazer”