dc.description.abstract | Experiential learning is the process of creating knowledge through the transformation of experience and has been adopted in an increasing number of areas. However, experiential learning is generally regarded as lacking a mechanism to focus student awareness in a learning context. The study aims to provide mechanisms of web-based learning passport and mobile technologies to facilitate experiential learning.
At the beginning, the study conducted a preliminarily study on three learning passport systems grounded a proposed framework on a web-based learning passport. The learning subject of Information Learning Passport System (ILPS) is computer knowledge and skills. A total of 220 schools and 108,356 students used the system within one and half years. Learning Passport Authoring System (LPAS) applied the structure of ILPS and extended learning subjects. LPAS provided authoring interface for teachers to design learning content according to their instructional requirement. Mobile learning passport system (MLPS) extended usage equipments of ILPS from PC to mobile devices such as a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). MLPS provided students to conduct field-trip learning with PDA. From the preliminary evaluations of these three systems, the framework is appeared to be able to arouse student learning motivation, increase student learning achievement, and be helpful for clarifying student learning status and instructions for teachers.
Then, to investigates the possibilities of mobile technological supports for experiential learning, a mobile technology supported system and a six-stage learning flow based on Kolb’s experiential learning theory and the proposed framework of learning passport were designed to facilitate students. The learning flow for experiential learning was designed in a school garden that guides students using facilities of PDAs. Last, an experiment was conducted to compare the knowledge creation of two classes of fifth-grade students with PDAs and those without PDAs on experiential learning.
There was two-step analysis: Firstly, the study compared the knowledge gain of these two classes, in order to explain the extent to which mobile technology benefited experiential learning. The pre- and post-test and the final report showed that the class with PDAs gained more knowledge as well as created more knowledge than that of the without PDAs class. However, the questionnaire revealed that PDAs and their embedded functions such as photo-taking and sound-recording did not sustain engagement of this class in the following stage. Secondly, the study used activity theory as a lens to analyze further how other components, such as rules, community, and division of labor affect the affordances of mobile technology. The analysis further discovered that underlying tensions provided rich insights into system dynamics and that technological affordances could be limited by a mismatch between the tools as such, and the way in which they were used by learners or were arranged by the instructor.
Therefore, the subtle human factors present in the use of technologies should be carefully considered. Moreover, there were three things were indicated to be considered as future works. | en_US |