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03d5fecfafde0654fe3259b85bdc30c6 |
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Creator |
635b8d1cb80e5b0afde339ed63ddcfea |
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Creator |
715d1c3cf4a6414e4b3c21063064203c |
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Creator |
9343dedc2d4e16c55d350d6f8e20f7ad |
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Creator |
70c75ce8b2bba0f17ea052774e7a9a1f |
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Creator |
e6c7be1074ad15a70628abf94ee5531c |
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Creator |
c840728a6ff88e1e9c4fa8fb889fe627 |
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Date |
2008 |
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Is Part Of |
repository |
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abstract |
<b>BACKGROUND </b><br></br>
Field-based activities are regarded as essential to the development of a range of
professional and personal skills for undergraduate students within geography, earth
and environmental sciences. Students are taught investigative skills to enable them
to interpret features within the landscape, establish technical skills such as sketching
and the use of field equipment, and learn to collaborate with peers. Students enjoy
field activities, and these improve deeper learning and understanding. However, due
to issues such as cost and access some have little opportunity to participate in field-based
studies. The ERA (Enabling Remote Activity) project is investigating how mobile and
communication technologies might enhance field learning experiences for all participants.
We identify two ways in which supporting technologies can enable greater participation
and add value to existing fieldwork: remote access and collaborative groupwork. <br></br><br></br>
<b>METHODS </b><br></br>
In 2006 we enabled a single mobility impaired student to direct a remote geologist
in the field, supporting remote access. A rapidly deployable, lightweight, battery
powered wireless network was built (which we refer to as an ‘on-the fly network’)
to enable the transmission of video, audio, and high resolution still images from
the field to the student. In 2007 we supported three groups of volunteers undertaking
remote collaboration, with half the participants in a university laboratory and the
others in the field location. Each group was carrying out a separate specific geological
investigation; graphic logging, paleontology, or mineralogy and paleocurrents. A network
infrastructure supported communication and data transmission between the groups. Field
and laboratory participants had their own distinct, significant roles and the trials
explored how technology enhanced collaboration may be used to improve student learning.
<br></br><br></br>
<b>CONTRIBUTION </b><br></br>
ERA has tested highly mobile, easily configurable low cost network tools to explore
how on-the-fly networking can support geology field studies at undergraduate level
in remote locations. We have explored two differing configurations, developed through
a collaborative design process undertaken between technology developers and course
managers. <br></br><br></br>
<b>EVALUATION AND REFLECTION </b><br></br>
A range of evaluation tools were used to enable analysis of the trials. Field journals
were kept by all participants, which found ready acceptance with the geologists as
an extension of their standard practice of keeping field notes. A wiki was used by
the technical team to capture lessons learnt during the development and trial periods.
Participants were gathered together for post-trial debrief sessions. In the second
trial, participants’ responses were collected through written questionnaires and focus
group discussions (audio recorded). Participants’ activities were also captured on
video camera and this was analysed to capture critical incidents. Key findings underline
the importance of co-designing technology and pedagogy, orchestration of multiple
groups, on-site testing, and planning for graceful degradation of technologies and
learning activities. <br></br><br></br>
In 2008 we will be looking to move the system from a development prototype to a production
model that could be could be replicated by geology departments across the UK without
intensive technical support, and the proving of specific technical enhancements including
VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) communication and the use of wireless digital
cameras. |
| 17106 |
authorList |
authors |
| 17106 |
presentedAt |
ext-02c947200d0988936275062557cf84cf |
| 17106 |
status |
peerReviewed |
| 17106 |
uri |
http://data.open.ac.uk/oro/document/130135 |
| 17106 |
uri |
http://data.open.ac.uk/oro/document/130136 |
| 17106 |
uri |
http://data.open.ac.uk/oro/document/130137 |
| 17106 |
uri |
http://data.open.ac.uk/oro/document/130138 |
| 17106 |
uri |
http://data.open.ac.uk/oro/document/130139 |
| 17106 |
uri |
http://data.open.ac.uk/oro/document/130140 |
| 17106 |
uri |
http://data.open.ac.uk/oro/document/130141 |
| 17106 |
type |
AcademicArticle |
| 17106 |
type |
Article |
| 17106 |
label |
Gaved, Mark ; Collins, Trevor ; Bartlett, Jessica ; Davies, Sarah-Jane ; Valentine,
Chris ; McCann, Lewis and Wright, Michelle (2008). ERA: On-the-fly networking for
collaborative geology fieldwork. In: mLearn 2008 'The bridge from text to context',
8-10 Oct 2008, Wolverhampton, UK. |
| 17106 |
label |
Gaved, Mark ; Collins, Trevor ; Bartlett, Jessica ; Davies, Sarah-Jane ; Valentine,
Chris ; McCann, Lewis and Wright, Michelle (2008). ERA: On-the-fly networking for
collaborative geology fieldwork. In: mLearn 2008 'The bridge from text to context',
8-10 Oct 2008, Wolverhampton, UK. |
| 17106 |
Title |
ERA: On-the-fly networking for collaborative geology fieldwork |
| 17106 |
in dataset |
oro |