Title: Design 'the Pori hidden beauties geocaching series': computer-supported collaborative web-based learning and sharing experiences

Authors: Pirita Ihamäki

Addresses: Degree Programme Cultural Production and Landscape Studies, University of Turku, Siltapuistokatu 2, 28100 Pori, Finland

Abstract: This article presents the creation of social game, result of collaborative learning and sharing experience supported by computer. 'The Pori hidden beauties geocaching series' was built on face to face classroom sessions and by the Facebook social network. Geocaching is a global treasure hunt game that uses GPS technology to find geocaches all over the world. The study findings show how socio-contextual enhancement can increase performance through computer-supported collaborative learning on Facebook and task-driven geocaching games, while also suggesting that it can increase student activity and engagement when provided in a specific context like this study in Pori National City Park for non-task-driven game environments. The result has present increasing availability of geocaching game is changing the way people interact with the web, and bring us a large amount of GPS trajectories representing user's location histories and stories.

Keywords: geocaching games; social technology; social media; Finland; computer-supported collaborative learning; CSCL; sharing experiences; web-based learning; e-learning; electronic learning; online learning; treasure hunt games.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWBC.2015.068538

International Journal of Web Based Communities, 2015 Vol.11 No.2, pp.131 - 152

Published online: 05 Apr 2015 *

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