Exploring the mediating role of mobile technology

Ulf Hedestig & Carljohan OrreDepartment of InformaticsUmeå universitySweden

Historical development of our projects

Council of HRBJ Distum

Understanding the social context

An exploration witha focus on technology

Design

Case and methods

• Identify technologies that correspond to everyday social practice

• Methods– Decision to follow and study a class of 40 students– Ethnographical methods and techniques

• Interviews, group interviews, diaries, observations

– Intervention• Implementation of PDA-hybrids• Quasi-experiment- exploring the role of mobile technology

Exploration phase

• Communication patterns– Mediation through Technology

– Formation of study groups

– Locus of activities shifts continuously

• Vertical and horizontal communication

• The infrastructure of communication needs an integration of public and private dimensions

Social dimensions

Private – Home environment – Studies on their own– Personal technologies

• Computer, IRC, e-mail, Internet

• Mobile phone, SMS, MMS

• PDA, calendar, applications

• Accessible, ready at hand

Public– Learning centre – Class activities

• Group work and study groups

• Lectures, seminars • Social activities

– Computer labs • Desktop computers • Course web• Network• Internet • Access restricted

Adoption of mobile technology• Aspects of use

– Entertainment– News reader, Remote control– Coordinator

• Early evaluation– “Beaming” sharing information– Quality problems– Communication cost

• A two stage process– Exploration – Utilisation

”The experiment!”

• Group assignments• Individual preparation before the group discussion • Tools - PiCoMap and Belvedere

QuickTime och enTIFF (okomprimerat)-dekomprimerarekrävs för att kunna se bilden.QuickTime och enTIFF (LZW)-dekomprimerarekrävs för att kunna se bilden.

The “experiment!” (2)

• Results – Mobile technology enhance

transition between individual and collective activities

• Sharing individual perspectives • Focus on content rather than

structure• Motivates and challenge existing

study techniques

The “experiment!” (3)

• Results & Conclusions – The role of mobile technology

• Cognitive tool– Belvedere as a structuring tool– PicoMap as facilitator for

discussion and negotiation– PicoMap as a reminder

• Tool of power

– The ability to carry learning models in mobile applications

Questions and challenges

• Effects on our choice of technological supports?

• How do we design environments that integrates private and public interaction?

• How do we consider practices among actors involved in the learning environment?