Title: Emotional and aesthetic factors of virtual mobile learning environments

Authors: Tom Page, Marian Hepburn, Miika Lehtonen, Gisli Thorsteinsson, Subramanian Arunachalam

Addresses: Department of Design and Technology, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leics LE11 3TU, UK. ' Department of Design and Technology, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leics LE11 3TU, UK. ' Centre for Media Pedagogy (CMP), Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland. ' Design and Craft Department, Iceland University of Education, Reykjavik, Iceland, V/Stakkahlid Iceland. ' School of Computing and Technology, University of East London, Barking Campus, London, UK

Abstract: This paper discusses the theoretical starting points and design considerations for addressing the emotional and aesthetic aspects of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) in support of ubiquitous teaching, studying and learning. It is asserted that a VLE should be considered as an interactive and sensation-arousing instrument, and a mediator for communication and learning. Furthermore, it should be valued as a tool for emotional and socio-structural mediation, and for of psychosocial regulation through psychosocial distance. Emotional and aesthetic factors have too often been given little attention by researchers in studying and learning, especially in the context of mobile-based environments for learning. Such emotional and aesthetic aspects are examined on five levels of observation. This five-level continuum, beginning from the individual subconscious/conscious inter-personal level continuing to the social, cultural, cross and trans-cultural levels, is mapped onto learning architectures, which proffer greater understanding of such starting points and design considerations of VLEs for learning regulation.

Keywords: emotions; mobile learning; network-based learning; ubiquitous learning; virtual learning environments; VLEs; aesthetics; communication; psychosocial regulation; ubiquitous studying; learning regulation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMLO.2007.012675

International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 2007 Vol.1 No.2, pp.140 - 158

Published online: 07 Mar 2007 *

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