Slides from workshop on AR for mobile learning, at mLearn2012 Conference, Helsinki, 15 October 2012

1. Using augmented reality
and mobile learning:
opportunities and challenges
Elizabeth FitzGerald

2. Overview of presentation
• Part 1 – AR and situated learning
– Theories and pedagogies underpinning AR
• Part 2 – case studies
– Augmenting the visitor experience
– Hidden Histories
• Part 3 – challenges
– current and future

3. Intro to AR
• “Addition of computer-assisted contextual layer of
information over the real world, creating a reality that
is enhanced or augmented” [Johnson et al, 2011]
• Encompasses the fusion of any digital information
with a real world physicality
• Graphical/visual, also audio, textual, video

4. AR and situated learning
• Situated learning
• Embodiment and embodied cognition
• Ecology of resources
• Augmented Contexts for Development (ACD)
• Externalism – bit controversial!
• Do we need a new theory of augmented place?
(see newsletter article coming out in November –
IEEE Learning Technologies Newsletter)

5. Case study 1: Augmenting the
visitor experience
To assess a range of techniques for exploring the
use of digital geographic information to augment
real scenes in the field
Create a student-led exercise to encourage
critical evaluation of these techniques to support
the field experience (and mobile tourist guides).

6. Supporting Learning about the Landscape
Eric Robson (Striding Edge Ltd)
Sir Hugh Walpole Video
(Thanks to Eric Robson)

7. 1. Computer-generated Acetate

9. 2. Custom
PDA-based
application

10. Screen Visibility an Issue
This is as good as it gets

11. 3. Mediascape on a Mobile Phone
Audio of
Wainwright VIDEO from
Derwent
Water
Switchable map
layers
Wainwright OS Photo

12. Phone-based Mediascapes

13. 4. Google Earth on a Tablet PC

14. 5. Head-Mounted Display

16. Implications and future work
Beginning to exploit real-time
Caistor Roman Town,
handheld Augmented Reality, East Anglia, UK.
and review evaluation framework Data from Will
Bowden.
Need to develop design rules for mobile field
guides which mimic the field expert.
Reduced emphasis on graphics, new challenges
in making geographically relevant audio.
Simple but effective? - all new
Google Maps
geospatial and handheld augmented Navigation for
reality applications will need to strive Android 2.0
Wednesday 28th
to move from being novelty apps to October 2009
becoming killer apps.

17. Case study 2: Hidden Histories audio guides
• Developed existing interest between local community
history group and academics in School of History at
University of Nottingham
• Investigated how located audio can be used to
provide opportunities for historical learning in public
history
• Case study of the 1831 Reform Riot in Nottingham,
content initiated by the community group
• Conducted 2 types of guided walk:
– People-led
– Technology-led

18. Educational research areas
• Learning in location
What differences arise from learning in location compared
to elsewhere (e.g. indoors; round a table etc)?
• Factors affecting learner preferences
Do you like learning in location? Why – or why not?
• Group versus individual tour guides
How did the audio guide technology affect group
dynamics?
 For more details, see forthcoming paper:
E. FitzGerald, C. Taylor and M. Craven (in press) To the Castle! A
comparison of two audio guides to enable public discovery of
historical events. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing

19. Hidden Histories ‘people-led’ walk

21. Hidden Histories ‘technology-led’ walk

22. Not without problems

23. Part 3 – Challenges
• Innovation vs sustainability
– Situ8: the new mScape?
• Overcoming the novelty factor
• Notspots rather than hotspots
– Urban canyons
• Changing practice vs maintaining practice
• Moving from formal to informal learning –
assessment, goals, accreditation?
• Appropriateness of media vs physicality – or, is
disjointedness a good thing?
– E.g. Urban Mediator project (http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cas/casresearch/
towards-pervasive-media-outputs.aspx)

24. Questions, comments, feedback?
Email: elizabeth.fitzgerald@open.ac.uk
Web: http://iet.open.ac.uk/e.j.fitzgerald
Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/ejfitzgerald
Twitter: elara99