Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning
Much of the literature theorising mobile learning emphasises the importance of context with physical and social contexts identified to date. Our work to design and implement authentic mobile simulation activities using SMS text messaging suggests that a third context may also be important. This is a...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Association for Learning Technology
2009-12-01
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| Series: | Research in Learning Technology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/10874 |
| _version_ | 1818232371126730752 |
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| author | Sarah Cornelius Phil Marston |
| author_facet | Sarah Cornelius Phil Marston |
| author_sort | Sarah Cornelius |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Much of the literature theorising mobile learning emphasises the importance of context with physical and social contexts identified to date. Our work to design and implement authentic mobile simulation activities using SMS text messaging suggests that a third context may also be important. This is a virtual context, the learner-created cognitive space within which the activity takes place. The arrival of a message during a simulation activity will disrupt the real world physical and social contexts in which the learner finds themselves and transfer them into the virtual context. We argue that this disruptive power of the mobile device to shift the user's presence may be one of the distinguishing characteristics of certain mobile learning applications. This paper will explore the idea of the virtual context and discuss the role of issues of context, presence and disruption, illustrating these with reference to a case study of mobile simulation learning using SMS text messaging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T11:05:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe7c8d5e68f140f09f065d683ea2e22e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2156-7069 2156-7077 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T11:05:13Z |
| publishDate | 2009-12-01 |
| publisher | Association for Learning Technology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Research in Learning Technology |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe7c8d5e68f140f09f065d683ea2e22e2022-12-22T00:26:26ZengAssociation for Learning TechnologyResearch in Learning Technology2156-70692156-70772009-12-0117310.3402/rlt.v17i3.10874Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learningSarah CorneliusPhil MarstonMuch of the literature theorising mobile learning emphasises the importance of context with physical and social contexts identified to date. Our work to design and implement authentic mobile simulation activities using SMS text messaging suggests that a third context may also be important. This is a virtual context, the learner-created cognitive space within which the activity takes place. The arrival of a message during a simulation activity will disrupt the real world physical and social contexts in which the learner finds themselves and transfer them into the virtual context. We argue that this disruptive power of the mobile device to shift the user's presence may be one of the distinguishing characteristics of certain mobile learning applications. This paper will explore the idea of the virtual context and discuss the role of issues of context, presence and disruption, illustrating these with reference to a case study of mobile simulation learning using SMS text messaging.http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/10874mobile learningSMSsimulationvirtual contextpresence |
| spellingShingle | Sarah Cornelius Phil Marston Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning Research in Learning Technology mobile learning SMS simulation virtual context presence |
| title | Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning |
| title_full | Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning |
| title_fullStr | Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning |
| title_short | Towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning |
| title_sort | towards an understanding of the virtual context in mobile learning |
| topic | mobile learning SMS simulation virtual context presence |
| url | http://www.researchinlearningtechnology.net/index.php/rlt/article/view/10874 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarahcornelius towardsanunderstandingofthevirtualcontextinmobilelearning AT philmarston towardsanunderstandingofthevirtualcontextinmobilelearning |