This document describes a mobile learning project called MoULe carried out in Italian secondary schools. The MoULe system allows students to access a collaborative learning platform from computers and mobile devices. It includes tools for searching and sharing information, communicating, and annotating locations with geotags. Students used the wiki and mobile devices to organize information from multiple sources into collaborative knowledge spaces. They found geotagged photos and audio notes more engaging than texts. Motivation was an important factor for teachers and students.

1. Some consideration on a mobile
learning experience in a
secondary school
Authors:
M. Arrigo, O. Di Giuseppe, G. Fulantelli, M. Gentile, L. Seta, D.
Taibi,
Institute for Educational Technology
Italian National Research Council
Palermo (Italy)

2. Topics
2
 Introduction
 The MoULe system
 MoULe in action
 Results and discussion

3. Introduction
3
 MoULe
 Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning project carried out at the Italian
National Research Council, Institute for Educational Technologies –
Palermo. It is part of the CORFAD project. CORFAD was set up by
the Sicilian government with the aim of developing a centre of
knowledge for distance learn
 Mobile learning based on collaborative knowledge
building processes
 A learning platform called MoULe to edit and share
documents and conceptual maps using desktop
computers and smartphones

4. The MoULe System
4
 The MoULe system was
designed to allow students
the access to the platform
from:
 classroom computer
desktops ;
 on site using mobile
devices
and it provides the tools to
support specifically
collaborative development of
knowledge

5. The MoULe system
5
Includes specific functionalities to
search and access information spaces,
to communicate and to annotate places
according to their geographical
coordinates .
Data stored in the system (included
data uploaded into it by the users) are
enriched by the information concerning
geographical localization, so that the
system provides users with information
specific to the place they are visiting.

6. MoULe in action
6
 The wiki was the tool chosen to organise the contents in
all experiences
 In the wiki pages created, the students laid out
information chunks coming in by several sources and in
different media formats:
 notes taken on site (principally photos and audios);
 contents and images retrieved by Internet;
 contents found in books.
 The students on site preferred to take notes as photos,
with respect to audios and texts

7. Scenario 1
7
 Student 1 (in laboratory) works on wiki pages
 S/he consults map to search photo attached to a specific location
(MoULe component)
 If s/he does not find photo s/he asks the photo to the students on
site (chat)
 Student 2 (on site) captures a photo and publish it on server
(mobile devices + GPS), with title and comment (tags)
 Students 1 searches for new photos, using map location and tags
(MoULe component), and inserts the photo into the wiki

8. Scenario 2
8
 The student on site reads the wiki using the mobile device to search
information
 She does find any relevant information and she decides to record an
interview with an informant (MoULe component on mobile
device)
 Then she tags the audio file and publish it on server
 The student sends a message (chat or IM component on mobile
device) for alerting of the new audio document
 Students on Lab can insert the audio into the wiki (MoULe
component)

9. Finally …
9
 In our experience we observed that motivational
factors can play an important part in the success of a
mobile learning experience.
 This aspect is generally considered from the students’ point of
view but we have noticed that it influences the teachers’
involvement and the results of the work.