Mobile Learning (eBook)

Acknowledgments 5
Contents 6
List of Figures 12
List of Tables 17
Part I Big picture and Examples 18
1 Charting the Conceptual Space 19
The Mobile Complex 19
Focus on Socio-cultural Conditions, Avoidance of Technological Fetishisation 20
Mobile Learning 20
Definitional Bases and Key Characteristics 20
Some Important Characteristics of Mobile Devices 23
Opportunities and Challenges for Mobile Learning 25
The Need for a Coherent Theoretical/Conceptual Frame for the Field 26
Building a Larger Frame for Understanding 26
Education in the Context of Societal and Cultural Transformations 27
A World Marked by Provisionality 27
'Participatory Culture': the Significance of Mobile Devices in the Life-Worlds of Users 29
Outside in and Inside Out 29
From Distinct Media to Ensembles of Cultural Resources 30
The Social Construction of Culture, Child Development and Learning as Appropriation in 'Responsive' Contexts 34
Life-Worlds, Social Fragmentation and the Habitus of At-Risk Learners 36
Key Implications of Societal and Cultural Transformations for Learning with Mobile Devices 38
Learner-Generated Contexts: Paradigm Change from Learning-as-Content to Learning-as-Contexts 39
Appropriation 40
An Overview of the Socio-cultural Ecology: Agency Cultural Practices Structures 41
Overview of the Structure of the Book 42
2 Mobile Learning: A Topography 44
Introduction 44
A Brief History of Mobile Learning 45
The First Phase of Mobile Learning: A Focus on Devices 45
The Second Phase of Mobile Learning: A Focus on Learning Outside the Classroom 49
Third Phase: A Focus on the Mobility of the Learner 56
Mixed Reality Learning 56
Context-Sensitive Learning 59
Ambient Learning 61
Interim Summary 65
Specialist Conferences and Events 65
mLearn 65
IADIS Mobile Learning 67
Handheld Learning 67
Budapest Mobile Learning Conference Series 68
WMTE 68
Professional Association 68
International Association for Mobile Learning (IAMLearn) 68
Organisations with a Particular Interest in Mobile Learning 69
WLE Centre: Mobile Learning Symposia and the London Mobile Learning Group (LMLG) 69
Futurelab 70
Becta 70
Kaleidoscope 71
G1:1 71
Specialist Journals 72
IJMBL 72
IJMLO 72
IJIM 72
Special Issues on Mobile Learning 72
Key Issues in Mobile Learning 73
Development for Educational Professionals and Mobile Learning 73
Public, Personal and Intimate Spaces and Ethical Considerations 75
Learner-Generated Contexts 77
Augmented Reality 80
Affective and Motivational Factors 81
Interface Between Learning in Informal and Formal Settings 82
Mobile Learning and Design Issues 83
Researching Mobile Learning 86
3 Mobile Devices as Resources for Learning: Adoption Trends, Characteristics, Constraints and Challenges 88
Introduction 88
Adoption Trends of Mobile Devices and Services 89
The Global and National Figures and Potential for Learning 89
Mobile Access Trends and Patterns of Usage 90
Trends in Any Where, Any Time, Any Device Learning 92
Characteristics and Functions of Mobile Devices 92
Constraints and Challenges 94
Children and Mobile/Cell Phones 94
Opportunities to use Public Services 96
Democratic Opportunities 97
Ambient Wireless Devices and Health and Learning Needs, Opportunities and Issues 98
Social Opportunities 99
Digital Divide Among Citizens 102
Security and Privacy Concerns are Growing 103
Txt Spk and New Literacies 104
Conclusions 108
4 Cases of Mobile Learning 109
Methodology of the Project Analysis 109
Selection and Description of Case Studies and Framework for Comparative Analysis 109
How, and on the Basis of What Data the Cases were Compiled 111
How, and on the Basis of What Data the Structure was Compiled 113
Analysis Framework 114
(I) Project Description 114
(II) Project Analysis 115
Discussion of the Process of Project Selection and the Criteria for Project Analysis 116
Resources with Mobile Learning Projects 116
Categorisation of Projects for Selection 117
Selection of Projects 117
Analysis Framework 118
Replicability and Transferability 118
Cases 118
Project 'Handy' 119
(I) Project Description 119
(II) Project Analysis 129
Project 'Learning Lab Initiative' 131
(I) Project Description 131
(II) Analysis 145
Cyrill 148
(I) Description 148
(II) Analysis 155
Synoptic Analysis 163
Two Didactic Approaches and Ways of Integrating Mobile Media in Schools 163
Protecting Learners vs. Challenging Learners 163
Mobile Learning Between Narrow and Teacher-Led Use and Constructivist and Open Settings 164
The Didactic Design is Determining the Way Mobile Learning is Realised 165
Capturing Situations or Generating Contexts? From Ad-hoc Usage to 'Delayed' Use 165
Re-contextualisation and Situated Negotiation: Determined Use or Free Space? 166
Mobile Devices and Convergent Media Allow for Learners to Examine and Establish Structures to Construct Their Own and Individualised Learning Spaces 166
5 Whither a Socio-Cultural Ecology of Learningwith Mobile Devices 168
Introduction 168
Activity Theory 170
Conversation and Discursive Appropriation as Contextual and Reflexive Activity 173
Continuity of Learning Activities Between and Across Contexts 176
Activity Theory: A Critical Perspective 177
Learning and Meaning-Making as Subject-Centred and Context-Related Cultural Practice 179
Ecological Approaches to (Mobile) Learning 180
Participative, Interactive, Situated and Contextual Learning 182
Summary and Outlook 184
Part II Mobile Devices as Resources for Learning: A Socio-Cultural Ecological Analysis of the Mobile Complex 185
6 Analysing the Mobile Complex for Education: Key Concepts 186
Appropriation 190
Learning Resources 191
Redefinition and Recognition of Learning 192
Conversational Integration and Contextual Zones of Development 193
Participation 194
The Culture Ecological Framework 195
7 A Social Semiotic Analysis of Mobile Devices: Interrelations of Technology and Social Habitus 196
A Social Semiotic Take on Technology 196
The Affordances of Smartphones: A Social Semiotic Analysis 198
Affordances of the Hardware 199
'Shape': Designers' Intentions and Social Implications 200
The Representational Affordances 201
The Kinaesthetic Input Affordances 202
The Software Affordances 202
The Thumbnail 'Carousel' and the Interactive Aesthetics 203
The Functionalities 204
Imaging 204
Web Browsing 205
E-mailing 208
'Positioning' 208
Phoning and Messaging 209
Lifeblog 209
Barcode Reader 209
'Entertaining' Functionalities: Music Player, Gaming, Video Player 209
The Affordances of the Multifunctionality Feature 210
Implications 211
Foregrounded and Backgrounded Capacities 211
Affordances for a Changed Social Habitus 212
Open Questions: Gains and Losses 213
8 The Mobile Complex, Socialization and Learning Resources 216
Introduction 216
Everyday Life with Mobile Devices, Socialization and Critical Mobile Literacy 216
Normalisation in Everyday Life 217
Socialisation Effects of Multimedia and Multimodal Communication 218
Socialisation Effects of Ubiquity and Mobile Identity 221
Educational Responses and Answers 223
The Mobile Complex Within Socio-Cultural Developments 225
The Triangle Model of Socio-Cultural Development 226
Educationally Relevant Features Within the Mobile Complex 227
Socio-Cultural Structures, Including Technological sTRUCTURES, Within the Context of Individualized Risk 227
Agency 230
Cultural Practices with Relevance for Learning and the Use of Mobile Devices 232
9 Appropriation and Learning 234
Introduction 234
Appropriation: Personal Development and the Internalization of Cultural Products 236
Internalization, Environment and Development 236
0Zones0 Revisited: Responsive Contexts for Development 237
Cultural Products and Child Development 238
Mobile Devices, Media and Mass Communication 243
Models of Mass Communication 243
Complex Patterns of Media Activities and Increasing Individualisation 246
Media Preferences of Socio-cultural Milieus 246
Activity Patterns Within the Media Set and Within the Family Life of Children 247
Typology for Television, Internet and Media Convergence 251
Learning in Contexts and Supported by Conversations 253
Culturally Situated Learning Towards User-Generated Contexts 253
Learning Resources and Conversational Integration 256
10 At-Risk Learners: Their Contextual and Conversational Options 260
Introduction 260
Case Analysis of a Provocative Mobile Video 261
The Mobile Video, Responsive Contexts of Development and Conversational Threads 263
Uploaded Content and Its Conversational Options 270
Conversational Threads in Responsive , User-Generated Contexts 272
Conversational Thread: Expertise 274
Habitus, Socio-Cultural Milieu and Learning 275
The Hedonistic Milieu 275
The Socio-Cultural Background of At-Risk Learners 277
Who Are the Precarious Consumers ? 278
Who are the Hedonists? 279
Attitudes of Precarious Consumers and Hedonists Towards Learning 281
Outlook 282
11 User-Generated Content and Contexts: An Educational Perspective 284
Introduction 284
The Situated Character of Mobile Media and Learning Contexts 285
Flexibility of Contexts, Specificity for Mobile Learning 289
User-Generated Content and Individualized Knowledge Building 291
Individualised Knowledge of Native Experts 294
Assimilation of Mobile/Cell Phones and User-Generated Contexts 298
An Analysis of Reflexive Context Awareness 301
Mobile/Cell Phones: From Everyday Life to School Learning 303
12 Four Didactic Parameters for Analysis and Planning 308
Four Didactic Parameters: An Introduction 308
Using the Four Parameters as a Tool for Analysis 310
Wireless Internet Learning Devices -- WILD 310
Raising Attainment in Literacy with Parental Involvement 313
From Analysis to Planning 314
Parameter A: Learning Set 316
Pole: Practices of the School -- Pole: Practices of Mobile Devices 316
Parameter B: Relationship to the Object of Learning 317
Pole: Mimetic Reproduction -- Pole: Personal Reconstruction 317
Parameter C: Institutional Emphasis on Expertise 317
Pole: School Curriculum -- Pole: Personal Expertise 317
Parameter D: Media and Modes of Representation 318
Pole: Discrete (Mono Medial, Mono Modal) -- Pole: Convergent 318
Implications for Teacher Support and Development 320
Summary 321
Part III Perspectives for Mobile Learning 323
13 Setting the Scene 324
14 Emerging Technologies and Attendant Practices 327
Introduction 327
Adoption Horizons for Key Emerging Technologies 327
Computing Off the Desktop: Going Small, Large, Everywhere and Getting Interactive 329
Emerging Infrastructures and Devices: Engaging with Interdisciplinary Discourse 333
Context-Sensitive Learning 341
Social Operating Systems 342
How Ubiquitous Do You Want It? 343
Ethical Considerations and Suspicions 344
Bridging the Digital Divide at the Policy Level 344
Conclusions 345
15 Visions and Suspicions 347
Introduction 347
Getting Beyond Being Critical 347
The Issue of Recognition: The Education System and Prevailing Social/Cultural Transformations 349
Learning and Life-Worlds: Environments of Learning 350
Participation, Social Divides and Cultural Resources 352
Situated Learning and New Practices of Learning 353
Context Awareness 353
Key Readings 355
Part I: Big Picture and Examples 355
Chapter 1. Charting the Conceptual Space 355
Chapter 2. Mobile Learning: A Topography 355
Chapter 3. Mobile Devices as Resources for Learning: Characteristics, Functions and Constraints 356
Chapter 4. Cases of Mobile Learning 358
Chapter 5. Towards a Cultural Ecology 359
Part II: Mobile Devices as Resources for Learning: A Socio-Cultural Ecological Analysis of the Mobile Complex 360
Part III: Perspectives for Mobile Learning: Infrastructures, Emerging Technologies and Application in Practice 364
Chapter 14. Emerging Technologies and Attendant Practices 364
Chapter 15. Visions and Suspicions 365
References 366
Index 385