WEB 2.0 IN A MOBILE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (original) (raw)

UTILIZING WEB 2.0 IN A VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT

An average South African higher education learner has experienced with one or more of the Web 2.0 technologies such as text messaging, Facebook, and other social network sites. To this point, this paper reveals how these learners, in a virtual learning environment, utilise these technologies for learning purposes. In a higher learning education setting, learners often encounter different learning contexts that hinder them from obtaining the necessary ubiquitous support for learning problems, while mobile. This paper, thus, highlights how Web 2.0 is utilized to enable learners to interact, communicate and share learning experiences. The evidence gathered from learners in authentic learning contexts indicates the different ways by which learners, in a typical South African university, utilize Web 2.0 technologies. The study employed the contextual inquiry research method to understand how mediated social interaction, using Web 2.0, affords learners the on-demand personalized learning support.

Mobilizing learning: Mobile Web 2.0 scenarios in tertiary education

2009

Based upon three years of mobile learning (mlearning) projects, a major implementation project has been developed for integrating the use of mobile web 2.0 tools across a variety of departments and courses in a tertiary education environment. A participatory action research methodology guides and informs the project. The project is based upon an explicit social constuctivist pedagogy, focusing on student collaboration, and the sharing and critique of student-generated content using freely available web 2.0 services. These include blogs, social networks, location aware (geotagged) image and video sharing, instant messaging, microblogging etc… Students and lecturers are provided with either an appropriate smartphone and/or a 3G capable netbook to use as their own for the duration of the project. Keys to the projects success are the level of pedagogical and technical support, and the level of integration of the tools into the courses -including assessment and lecturer modelling of the use of the tools. The projects are supported by an intentional community of practice model, with the researcher taking on the role of the "technology steward". The paper outlines three different scenarios illustrating how this course integration is being achieved, establishing a transferable model of mobile web 2.0 integration and implementation. The goal is to facilitate a student-centred, collaborative, flexible, context-bridging learning environment that empowers students as content producers and learning context generators, guided by lecturers who effectively model the use of the technology.

PERSONALIZED LEARNING SUPPORT THROUGH WEB 2.0: A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT

i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 2012

In a typical South African contact university, where learning and instruction is done following a strict class schedule, the challenge of providing personalized learning support is still prevalent. This paper argues that the advent of Web 2.0 affords varied opportunities to cushion this challenge, faced by learners. In this paper, social presence theory acts as a lens to provide an informed understanding of the interactions provided by the varied Web 2.0 applications. Empirical evidence was gathered at Tshwane University of Technology through contextual inquiry research methodology. The evidence suggests that the varied Web 2.0 applications have the potential to alleviate the preceding challenge by creating a personalized learning environment where learners may interact, share knowledge and collaborate with those who are not in the same location. This, in turn, strengthens the learners' skills as they interact with knowledgeable peers and instructors. The paper concludes that utilizing Web 2.0 appropriately may alleviate the challenge of providing personalized learning support, faced by South African higher education

Integrating mobile Web 2.0 within tertiary education

m-ICTE2009, 2009

Based on three years of innovative pedagogical development and guided by a participatory action research methodology, this paper outlines an approach to integrating mobile web 2.0 within a tertiary education course, based on a social constructivist pedagogy. The goal is to facilitate a student-centred, collaborative, flexible, context-bridging learning environment that empowers students as content producers and learning context generators, guided by lecturers who effectively model the use of the technology. We illustrate how the introduction of mobile web 2.0 has disrupted the underlying pedagogy of the course from a traditional Attelier model (face-to-face apprenticeship model), and has been successfully transformed into a context independent social constructivist model. Two mobile web 2.0 learning scenarios are outlined, including; a sustainable house design project (involving the collaboration of four departments in three faculties and three diverse groups of students), and the implementation of a weekly 'nomadic studio session'. Students and lecturers use the latest generation of smartphones to collaborate, communicate, capture and share critical and reflective learning events. Students and lecturers use mobile friendly web 2.0 tools to create this environment, including: blogs, social networks, location aware (geotagged) image and video sharing, instant messaging, microblogging etc… Feedback from students and lecturers has been extremely positive, and the course is being used as a model of implementing mobile web 2.0 throughout the institution.

A mobile Web 2.0 framework : reconceptualising teaching and learning

2013

This chapter presents a mobile Web 2.0 framework for pedagogical change based upon the implementation of over 30 mobile learning (m-learning) projects between 2006 and 2011. These projects explored the potential of m-learning as a catalyst for pedagogical change within architecture, product design, landscape architecture, contemporary music, computing, graphics design, performing and screen arts, accountancy law and finance, civil engineering, and journalism. The projects utilised mobile devices for student-generated content and for enabling student-generated learning contexts, bridging situated experiences with the formal classroom. Examples of the development and implementation of the framework are drawn from the context of the bachelor of product design programme at Unitec, New Zealand. The framework is founded upon contemporary social learning theory and illustrates the potential of mobile Web 2.0 tools to bridge pedagogically designed learning contexts between formal and informal learning and across international boundaries.

A mobile web 2.0 framework: Reconceptualizing teaching and learning

This chapter presents a mobile Web 2.0 framework for pedagogical change based upon the implementation of over 30 mobile learning (m-learning) projects between 2006 and 2011. These projects explored the potential of m-learning as a catalyst for pedagogical change within architecture, product design, landscape architecture, contemporary music, computing, graphics design, performing and screen arts, accountancy law and finance, civil engineering, and journalism. The projects utilised mobile devices for student-generated content and for enabling student-generated learning contexts, bridging situated experiences with the formal classroom. Examples of the development and implementation of the framework are drawn from the context of the bachelor of product design programme at Unitec, New Zealand. The framework is founded upon contemporary social learning theory and illustrates the potential of mobile Web 2.0 tools to bridge pedagogically designed learning contexts between formal and informal learning and across international boundaries.

Fostering Collaborative Learning with Mobile Web 2 0 in Semi Formal Settings

Mobile Web 2.0 technologies such as: mobile apps, social networking sites and video sharing sites have become essential drivers for shaping daily activities and meeting learning needs in various settings. However, very few studies link mobile Web 2.0 to supporting collaborative learning in real-life problem solving activities in semi-formal contexts. A study of collaborative learning and mobile Web 2.0 usage practices in real-life problem solving activities was carried out with 18 participants recruited from a local faith based community club. Research data was gathered through observational studies, open-ended questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and by logging content captured on mobile devices. Data analysis examined learner demographics, social interactions and artefacts produced in activities. Results indicate that the choice and use of mobile Web 2.0 to support collaborative learning in semi-formal settings is based on the ways in which technological functions effectively support and enhance established social relations and practices.

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: mobile Web 2.0 informing a new institutional e‐learning strategy

ALT-J, 2010

Mobile Learning (mlearning) has moved beyond the realms of fantasy to become a viable platform for contextual learning that bridges formal and informal learning environments. This paper overviews how mobile web 2.0 has been instrumental in facilitating pedagogical change and informing an institutions new elearning strategy that focuses upon social constructivist pedagogies. The project developed an intentional Community Of Practice (COP) model for supporting new technology integration, pedagogical development, and institutional change. Beginning with a small selection of early adopter trials, the results of the research are now informing a wider integration of wireless mobile computing.