Context, patterns and geo-collaboration to support situated learning

Abstract

Situated Learning stresses the importance of the context in which learning takes place. It has been therefore frequently associated with informal learning or learning outside the classroom. Mobile technologies can play an important role supporting this type of learning, since it mainly occurs in the field. In this paper we present a learning system and a methodology based on the use of patterns. Students learn about patterns by finding instances of them in the field, or by recognizing new patterns unknown to them so far. The teacher proposes tasks to the students consisting of finding instances of patterns or discovering new ones along a path or inside a pre defined area on a map. This work illustrates the role that geo-referenced data can play in situated learning. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.