Mobilising Remote Student Engagement: Lessons Learned from the Field
- 1. Mobilising Remote Student Engagement: Lessons Learned from the Field Dr Richard Hall, De Montfort University Dr. Tim Linsey, Kingston University http://Morse.ac.uk CETIS Mobile Tech Meeting 15th June 2010
- 2. Overview MoRSE Project overview and context Fieldtrip context in academic Geography Personal technologies in the field Tools Overview Emerging Issues and findings
- 3. Project Context Joint project between Kingston University and De Montfort University Builds on earlier HEA Pathfinder projects at KU and DMU To develop a situated understanding of the impact of mobile and personal technologies on student and staff practices, beyond the institution, and on institutional processes Work Placements (DMU) Field trips (KU)
- 4. The MoRSE Team – Field Trips School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, KU Dr Stuart Downward Dr Ken Field Dr James O’Brien Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, KU Dr Ann Ooms
- 5. Field Trips Centred in the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment. GIS and Geography Field trip locations include the Isle of Wight, Malta and south-east Spain.
- 6. Fieldtrips “ An education in geography involves an active engagement with the external world. Fieldwork and experiential learning constitutes an essential aspect of this engagement” (QAA 2007) “ In the active learning and, by definition, experiential world of fieldwork students learning by doing, importantly by linking their thinking with their doing” (Dummer et. al. 2008; after Gibbs 1988)
- 7. Issues “ In the rush to impose risk minimisation strategies, standardise the student fieldwork experience, provide value for money and entice students away from competitor courses with exotic locations, the far more fundamental pedagogical reasons for leaving the classroom behind are all too often forgotten” (Herrick, 2010) “ The absence of a widespread pedagogic drive for the use of C&IT in fieldwork mirrors previous findings in the more general teaching of geography context” (Fletcher et. al., 2007)
- 8. Specific Issues Integration of fieldwork and other aspects of the curriculum Co-ordination and collaboration amongst staff and student groups distributed over a study area. Sharing resources/collaborating Access to resources, real-time databases, ‘experts’ and support from the field.
- 9. Role of Technologies Primary data capture and Immediacy of data analysis On-site reference to key data Use of primary data in conjunction with secondary data. Use of GIS in the field to identify and analyse relationships between variables - enhances higher level cognition and construction of meaning (Fletcher et. al. 2007; Latham & McCormack, 2007)) Engaging with students at the institution Enhancing ‘extended’ group work through sharing Enhancing autonomy
- 10. Primary Data Capture Audio Video Photographs Location Bearing Altitude Annotations mapping Immediacy “ As one student put it, the photos ‘made evening sessions more interactive – people could show pictures to support / illustrate their arguments etc” Latham & McCormack, 2007
- 11. Analysis Geocoding Audio editing (e.g. using Audacity) Terrain Profiles (e.g. http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/) Spatial and Terrain analysis using: Specialist ‘Commercial’ GIS (ArcGIS) Open Source GIS (e.g. GRASS)
- 12. Datasets Institutionally licensed datasets / Map servers Google Maps / Imagery / Streetview Ordnance Survey OpenData Open Street Maps (OSM)
- 13. Primary and Secondary Data Mapping tracks, observations, imagery on overlays of topographic, aerial photographs and satellite imagery.
- 14. Sharing Observations, field annotations Imagery / video / audio Location / tracks Collaboration Enhance understanding and interpretation through synchronous / asynchronous access to information and resources recorded at remote locations.
- 15. Photo sharing (Flickr) Latitude: 50 deg 41' 52.92" N Longitude: 1 deg 5' 54.42" W Date: 2009:10:18 12:41:25 Comments: Looking North. Concrete walk / sea defence. Groynes visible with sediment banked on their north side indicating sediment migration southwards Tags : IoW, Duver, Coast, Groynes, Map of photograph locations
- 16. Sharing via many channels including the VLE
- 17. Sharing with students back at the institution Enables students back at the institution to access relevant resources/real-time databases/perform analyses relevant to the location, and give feedback to the field group. Confirmation of sampling strategies and gaps in data collection. Enabling students to capture and integrate feedback in the production of their final summative assessments needs identification.
- 18. Photo sharing: lessons Enables sharing between students in the field, and with those at University. (Geo)Tagging and comments extend feedback and understanding. Impact on core skills of observation, identification and sketching needs further evaluation. Integrating mentor feedback and student/staff commentary into the production of a student’s final summative assessments needs agreement.
- 19. Tools: Data capture Audio Audioboo Audacity AoA Audio Extractor Video Youtube Ustream Qik Mobile Ded. Device Flip camera Flip tools Picasa Youtube Mobile Ded. Device Camera Photos Flickr Picasa Photoshop.com Mobile Camera Inbuilt App 3 rd Party App Analysis Device Y Y Y
- 20. Location Google Maps MapDroyd Compass Audacity AoA Audio Extractor Bearing Compass 3Banana Mobile Ded. Device Mobile Ded. Device Camera Geocode Flickr GPicSync Geosetter Mobile Camera Inbuilt App 3 rd Party App Analysis Device Y Asynch Tracking/ mapping Mobile Ded. Device My Maps OSMTracker ESRI ArcPAD My Maps Editor ArcGIS Synch Tracking Mobile Instamapper Y
- 21. Sharing / Support Blogs Wordpress RSS Reader Micro- Blogging Twitter – Ubertwitter Twidroid Mobile PC Mashups Mobile PC SMS Txttools MS Excel Mobile PC Inbuilt App 3 rd Party App Analysis Device (email) Y Y Voice Mobile PC Y Skype
- 22. Local Information Augmented Reality Layar Wikitude Wikipedia Wikimobile Mobile Mobile PC SMS Txttools MS Excel Mobile PC Inbuilt App 3 rd Party App Analysis Device Y
- 23. Examples Mapping Tracks and Photographs Field Notes created with Compass / 3Banana
- 24. Mobile data integrated with secondary datasets Terrain data from the Ordnance Survey . © Crown copyright and database right
- 25. Live Tracking (Instamapper) http://www.instamapper.com/trk?key=2642287017959854978 Altitude Speed Bearing 18/10/2009 12:37 N 50.69961° W 1.09922° 35 0 0 18/10/2009 12:38 N 50.69965° W 1.09904° 49 0 129 18/10/2009 12:39 N 50.69967° W 1.09905° 51 0 49 18/10/2009 12:39 N 50.69922° W 1.09888° 52 6 167 18/10/2009 12:40 N 50.69877° W 1.09872° 51 5 165 18/10/2009 12:40 N 50.69830° W 1.09860° 46 5 173
- 26. Synchronising GPS Units with Personal technologies Using GPicSync & Google Maps
- 27. Personal technologies High level of Laptop usage (83% ) All students possess a mobile (40% PAYG) Some student usage of dedicated cameras and MP3 players. 64% of students interested in taking personal technologies on field-trips 77% of students willing to use their own text credits for educational purposes
- 28. Initial Student Feedback Generally positive response to the use of SMS somewhat agree agree Positive impact on my motivation to study 51% 16% Useful for feedback on my understanding 49% 40% Advise staff to continue using 37% 54% Positive in using personal technologies
- 29. Field-trips: emerging issues The mix of edtech to be used needs consideration in light of tasks: synchronous, asynchronous etc.. Mentors and induction help develop engagement with real-time feedback. This is crucial where reflective assessment asks are developed. Students need support in manipulating digital resources that they capture.
- 30. Lessons learnt Pre-work with all staff and students is critical before the start of the placement/fieldtrip Tools to be used Activities to be undertaken Ground rules for collaboration Contextualisation, and scaffolding the experience, is the key determinant of technologies to use for assessment.
- 31. References Dummer, T.J.B., Cook, I.G., Parker, S.L., Barrett, G.A. & Hull, A.P. 2008 Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 32 (3), 459-479 Fletcher, S., France, D., Moore, K. & Robinson, G. 2007 Practitioner Perspectives on the use of Technology in Fieldwork Teaching. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 31(2), 319-330 Gibbs, G. 1988 Learning by Doing, London: FEU Herrick, C. 2010 Lost in the field: ensuring student learning in the ‘threatened’ geography field trip. Area, 42.1, 108-116. Latham, A. McCormack, D.P. 2007 Digital Photography and web-based Assignments in an Urban Field Course: Snapshots from Berlin. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 31(2) 241-256 QAA 2007 Subject Benchmark Statements : Geography
Editor's Notes
- #4: This is a joint project between Kingston University and De Montfort University Builds on two earlier HE Academy funded projects: Rapid Reaction and Response (R3) at KU focussing on mobile classroom technologies Web 2.0 tools and approaches at DMU to develop institutional knowledge and understanding of these tools and environments and associated professional development.
- #6: The School of Geography, Geology and the Environment (GGE) at Kingston University run a series of fieldstrips, both nationally and internationally throughout the year. The project focusses on fieldtrips attended by students studying on both the GIS and Geography Degree programmes.
- #9: Student groups are often distributed across a field area and traditionally may have limited interaction with other groups. However each group may be investigating components of a complex investigation where real-time / near real-time collaboration / information exchange may enhance understanding and problem solving.
- #16: Students were asked to photograph specific features of interest in the field and upload them to the photograph sharing site Flickr. This can be done using a mobile phone camera and then emailing the image to the Flickr server. Using the dedicated Flickr application that can be downloaded onto specific mobile phones allowed a grid reference, tags, and a description to be added to photographs. These photographs could be available on Flickr within minutes of being taken with other students then having the ability to add further comments. A RSS feed was made available using specific tags which fed the photographs into the VLE and allowed students to pull them into their PLE.
- #26: Live tracking using a mobile phone with integrated GPS. The Instamapper mobile phone application was used which broadcasts a geographical reference (in addition to altitude, speed and bearing) at a given time interval which can be fed to a public website. to: - enable students back at the institution tThe track is also recorded and can be exported and displayed via Google maps. This facility could be used o access relevant resources / real-time databases / perform analyses relevant to the location and feedback to the field group confirm sampling strategies / geographical gaps in data collection. The link provided is one of the interactive tracks recorded on The Duver as part of the Isle of Wight field trip.