Supporting lifelong learners to build personal learning ecologies in daily physical spaces

Abstract

This article presents the results from a questionnaire filled out by 147 lifelong learners with the aim to analyse learning practices of adults, and to recognize patterns of lifelong learners in order to support them with technology. These patterns capture the context in which lifelong learners are more willing to learn, that is, the day of the week, duration, location activity being performed, type of device being used, way to interact with their devices and how these aspects can affect when an adult student takes the initiative to learn. Likewise, this article examines previous publications on surveys, questionnaires and information collected with the same objective, to corroborate and contrast the findings. Moreover, we present a literature review on augmented tangibles for learning identifying potential contexts to orchestrate tangibles depending on the physical space where they are normally used. As an outcome of this work, important research questions are risen to integrate smart learning objects in learner-centred ecologies of resources.

MoocCast: evaluating mobile-screencast for online courses

“…When participants were asked which was their preferred learning environment to follow the course, students reported they had followed the course from home while sat on the desk (72%), sat on the couch (24%), at work (23%) or laid on bed (10%). These results confirm recent research concluding that learning activities using portable devices are mainly performed when students are situated in a static and private context [4]. Indeed, only 5% of the participants reported to progress in the MOOC in transition phases e.g.…”

“…These sets of interconnected devices people use to access information has been lately termed Device Mesh [3]: "In the post-mobile world the focus shifts to the mobile user who is surrounded by a mesh of devices extending well beyond traditional mobile devices". A recent survey identifies preferred daily spaces for students to accomplish learning activities with their mobile devices [4]. The results show that learning activities are mainly performed when students are situated in a static and private context (i.e.…”

Tap it again, Sam: Harmonizing Personal Environments towards Lifelong Learning

“…A recent survey to lifelong learners on mobile usage habits for learning [38] reveals that there is an association between the type of learning activity being performed (read, write, listen, watch) and the concrete location where it takes place. More specifically, at the living room and sitting in the sofa was reported as the most suitable environment to watch videos using their mobile devices for learning purposes.…”

Lifelong Learning Hub: A Seamless Tracking Tool for Mobile Learning

“…desktop, coach) and moments (e.g. waiting times, transitions) to accomplish their learning activities along the week [4]. Learning activities should be tracked in a way that the transition from/to daily life activity can be done with effortless interaction, otherwise the user will not bother to track such a short learning moments, and as result it will never be accounted as learning time.…”