Mobile and ubiquitous computing

Pervasive computing embeds wireless communication and computation into material objects, locations and living entities, thus bringing together the physical and the digital into a single information ecology. We explore how such ubiquitous and tangible technologies can be exploited for applications in learning, particularly in their potential to enhance learning experiences through physical, kinaesthetic engagement with digital technologies and digital representations. We also investigate how highly detailed data about the physical and the built environment, captured through the sensing capability of pervasive computing, can support novel learning activities developed around fine-grained observation of our surroundings.

Designing for technology-enhanced learning in museums Print
Friday, 06 July 2007

walker

Project Directors
Kevin Walker

Liam Bannon, University of Limerick (IE);
Victor Kaptelinin, Ume University (SE);
Palmyre Pierroux, University of Oslo (NO);

Project Details
2007
Funder: Kaleidoscope

Keywords
museums, cultural heritage, activity theory, socio-cultural research

Project website

About 'MUSTEL'
Our objective is to integrate international research on technology-enhanced learning in museums, to analyse existing installations and best practice, and to recommend design principles grounded in a common theoretical perspective on learning that will be useful for future research in museums.

The importance of exploratoria, science museums, museums of natural history, etc. as sites for engaging and enriching learning experiences for all ages - especially children - has become acknowledged in recent years. This has led to increased interest in both understanding the ways in which people engage and learn in these so-called ìinformalî learning settings, as well as an exploration of how to enhance these settings through the use of new technologies.

These contributions also provide insight into the significance of a sociocultural perspective on museum learning, an approach that increasingly frames current design research. However, connections between use, social interaction, learning, and the implications for design are often unclear and under-theorized in the research literature.

The 'T' in MUSTEL

Novel computational paradigms, such as pervasive or ubiquitous computing, may create new possibilities for interactivity, enabling designers and technologists to create novel hybrid artefacts and environments, which combine digital and physical properties in novel ways. Consequently, this may allow new understandings of learning to emerge.

Thus we believe that the study of learning experiences with and through new technologies in museum settings provides a rich opportunity for investigating a host of pertinent research areas, including:

  • Theoretical approaches to understanding learning activities, and informal learning settings, with special emphasis on socio-cultural approaches;
  • The role of participative design practices and scenarios in the early stages of the design process;
  • Lessons learned from the deployment of new technologies in such settings;
  • Design guidelines for the development of ICT- enhanced museum environments.


References
[1]†† †Hall, T. & L. Bannon (2006) Designing ubiquitous computing to enhance childrenís learning in museums . Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 22,. 231-243.


[2]†† †Kaptelinin, V., & Nardi, B. A. (2006). Acting with Technology: Activity Theory and Interaction Design. Cambridge: The MIT Press.


[3]†† †Pierroux, P. (2006) Meaning, Learning and Art in Museums. Oslo: Unipub.


[4]†† †Walker, K. (2007). Visitor-Constructed Personalized Learning Trails . Museums and the Web, 11-14 April 2007, San Francisco.

 
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