Title: Balancing virtual and real interactions in mobile learning

Authors: Hiroyuki Tarumi, Yuki Tsujimoto, Takafumi Daikoku, Fusako Kusunoki, Shigenori Inagaki, Makiko Takenaka, Toshihiro Hayashi

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Department of Reliability-Based Information Systems Engineering, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0396, Japan. ' Faculty of Engineering, Department of Reliability-Based Information Systems Engineering, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0396, Japan. ' Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0395, Japan. ' Tama Art University, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0394, Japan. ' Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan. ' Centre for Research in Education Human Development, Oita University, Oita 870-1192, Japan. ' Information Technology Centre, Kagawa University, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0396, Japan

Abstract: KEI-Time Traveller is a kind of virtual time machine that merely requires the use of commercially available GPS phones. In reality, KEI-Time Traveller shows graphical images of a virtual past scene within a given area as viewed from the current location and with arbitrary viewing angles. Users can virtually explore the past world using this system. We applied it to junior high school students, twice. They virtually visited a world of 1938, when a severe landslide disaster occurred, but the designs of interaction with the virtual past world differed between the two fieldwork trials. By comparing the results, we discuss the design of the interaction and its effects on the fieldwork.

Keywords: mobile learning; interaction design; mobile phones; fieldwork; virtual worlds; GPS phones; location awareness; m-learning; cell phones; junior high schools; virtual history; virtual past.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMLO.2011.038690

International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 2011 Vol.5 No.1, pp.28 - 45

Published online: 14 Feb 2015 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article