Location aware applications for learning

Mike SharplesIET

With thanks to Liz FitzGerald, Tommy Sweeney, Gary Priestnall and Sam

Meek

• Learning in locations:–Location-based guides–Location-based information–Location-aware games

• Learning about locations–Augmented reality–Field trip learning

© 2011 victuallers2

London ZooDerby Museum

Location-based guidesQR codes

Context-sensitive guide - CAGE• Location-based content

and services• Ultrasound tracking

system• Context awareness:

– which painting?– how long?– have I been there

before?Rudman P.D., Sharples M., Vavoula G.N., Lonsdale P., Meek J. (2008). Cross-context learning. In L. Tallon & K.Walker (ed.) Digital Technologies and the Museum Experience: Handheld Guides and Other Media. Lanham, MD: Alta Mira Press, pp. 147-166.

Toponimo– Tommy Sweeney PhD researchLocation aware language learning

• See nearby locations (from Google maps API)

• Click on a location

• Read words linked to the location, with definitions

• Add new words

• Change the definition and pronunciation

• Add photo of the word in context

• Share words, definitions, photos, pronunciations

• Rate words for relevancy

Accompanying website

Learning about locations

• Geology– E.g. rock formations,

glaciation, erosion• Land use

– Forestry, farming, wind farms, footpaths

• Tourism– Local history, landmarks,

literature

Augmented reality (concepts)

Wikitude

Layar

Augmented reality (mobile apps)Shows sights of interest in the direction of the phone screen

Google Goggles: for major landmarks

What am I looking at?

Beyond AR:

3D Terrain map

Height above ground

Compass bearing and tilt

Compute intersection of line of sight with terrain

Identify salient feature

Zapp: Sam Meek PhD research

• Capture or display media for distant landmarks

• 3D Terrain model• Compute line of

sight• On a mobile

phone

Island

Not woodland

Meek, S., FitzGerald, E., Priestnall, G., Sharples, M. (forthcoming) 'Field Trip Learning'. In Kinuthia, W. & Marshall, S. (Eds). On the Move: Mobile Learning for Development. Information Age Publishing Inc., Charlotte, NC.

Information aboutwhat I’m looking at

Learning about the landscapeFrom simple ...

Location-specific acetate, generated from a computer model of the landscape

... to complex

What the student sees: 3D high resolution moving display, controlled by head movement, showing the surrounding landscape with glacier overlaid

Student on field trip looking at the surrounding landscape as it was in the Ice Age

Easy to use‘heads-up’ interpreting the locationnot‘heads-down’ accessing information

Learning about locations