Collaborative trails in e-learning environments

This deliverable focuses on collaboration within groups of learners, and hence collaborative trails. We begin by reviewing the theoretical background to collaborative learning and looking at the kinds of support that computers can give to groups of learners working collaboratively, and then look more deeply at some of the issues in designing environments to support collaborative learning trails and at tools and techniques, including collaborative filtering, that can be used for analysing collaborative trails. We then review the state-of-the-art in supporting collaborative learning in three different areas – experimental academic systems, systems using mobile technology (which are also generally academic), and commercially available systems. The final part of the deliverable presents three scenarios that show where technology that supports groups working collaboratively and producing collaborative trails may be heading in the near future

Innovation in Mobile Learning: A European Perspective

In the evolving landscape of mobile learning, European researchers have conducted significant mobile learning projects, representing a distinct perspective on mobile learning research and development. Our paper aims to explore how these projects have arisen, showing the driving forces of European innovation in mobile learning. We propose context as a central construct in mobile learning and examine theories of learning for the mobile world, based on physical, technological, conceptual, social and temporal mobility. We also examine the impacts of mobile learning research on educational practices and the implications for policy. Throughout, we identify lessons learnt from European experiences to date

The genesis and development of mobile learning in Europe

In the past two decades, European researchers have conducted many significant mobile learning projects. The chapter explores how these projects have arisen and what each one has contributed, so as to show the driving forces and outcomes of European innovation in mobile learning. The authors identify context as a central construct in European researchers’ conceptualizations of mobile learning and examine theories of learning for the mobile world, based on physical, technological, conceptual, social and temporal mobility. The authors also examine the impacts of mobile learning research on educational practices and the implications for policy. Finally, they suggest future challenges for researchers, developers and policy makers in shaping the future of mobile learning

Integrating personal learning and working environments

This review paper part of a series of papers commissioned by the Institute for Employment Research at the University of Warwick under the title of 'Beyond Current Horizons – Working and Employment Challenge'. In turn, in forms part of a larger programme of work under the banner of Beyond Current Horizons that is being managed by FutureLab on behalf of the UK Department for Schools, Children and Families. The brief was to cover: - The main trends and issues in the area concerned; - Any possible discontinuities looking forward to 2025 and beyond; - Uncertainties and any big tensions; - Conclusions on what the key issues will be in the future and initial reflections on any general implications for education. Given the wide ranging nature of the brief, this paper largely confines itself to trends and issues in the UK, although where appropriate examples from other countries in Europe are introduced. We realise that in an age of growing globalisation the future of work and learning in the UK cannot be separated from developments elsewhere and that developments in other parts of the world may present a different momentum and trajectory from that in the UK. Thus, when reading this report, please bear in mind the limitations in our approach

The next generation: design and the infrastructure for learning in a mobile and networked world

Focusing on intermediate and institutional levels of design for learning, this chapter explores how institutional decisions relate to design, using recent experience at The Open University as a case study. To illuminate the relationship between institutional decisions and learner-focused design, we review and bring together some of the research on learner practices in mobile and networked learning. We take a critical stance in relation to the concept of generation, which has been applied to understanding learners of different ages using terms such as net generation and digital natives. Following on from this, we propose an integrated pedagogical design approach that takes account of learner practices, spaces for learning, and technologies. The chapter also proposes future research directions focused on the changing context for learning, a distinction between place and space and an understanding of how the different levels of educational systems interact with mobile and networked technologies

Theoretical and Conceptual Approaches to Co-Regulation: A Theoretical Review

During the last two decades, interpersonal regulation in natural and digital learning environments has gained importance. Ever since the first conceptual and methodological precisions regarding collaborative learning were made, educational psychology has focused its interest on analyzing collective regulation of motivation, cognition, and behavior. Despite the fact that the body of research on co-regulation has grown, emerging epistemological frameworks evidence a lack of conceptual and theoretical clarity. In response to this situation, the authors propose a conceptual approach in order to address interpersonal regulation in four aspects: first, they describe three learning theories which have been used to study co-regulation. Second, the authors recommend a conceptual delimitation of terms regarding the learning theories on social regulation. Third, they highlight diffuse boundaries between theoretical approaches and terms used in the literature on co-regulation. Finally, the authors suggest some challenges the researchers in this field face

The Effectiveness of Mobile Learning: A Critical Review of Empirical Literature

ワイヤレスモバイル技術は多様な教育状況の中に取り入れられてきた。モバイル学習の長所は学習者がいつでもどこでも学習を可能にすることであり，多くの研究者は学習の新しい変革の可能性を信じている。しかし，いくつかの研究は学習者が学習にモバイルデバイスを使うことを好まないことに加え，技術の限界について批判している。モバイル学習への疑問があったとしてもモバイル学習をそれぞれのフィールドで実践してきた多様な研究は肯定的な結果を報告している。本論文は，これらのモバイル学習の効果を評価してきた実証研究を概説する。その結果，モバイル学習は相互作用を促進し，学習成果を高め，クラスの管理を支援し，非公式学習に積極的に使われることが示された。この結果に基づき，モバイル学習の可能性と将来の挑戦について議論した。Wireless mobile technology has been adopted in a various education contexts. The advantage of mobile learning is that it allows learners to study at anytime and anywhere. Researchers believe that it heralds a new revolution on learning. However, some studies criticize this facility from the point of view of technical limitation, as well as learners’ unwillingness to use mobile devices in their learning. Even though there have been doubts about mobile learning, researches on the application of activity which apply mobile learning in various fields have reported positive results. This paper reviews the empirical studies which have evaluated mobile learning’s effectiveness. Results indicate that mobile learning facilitates interaction, improves learning performance, supports class management and is actively employed for the purpose of informal learning. Based on these results, the potential of mobile learning and future challenges are discussed