Situ8 is a tool that allows users to annotate physical locations with digital media like text, images, videos and more. It can be used on mobile devices to access location-specific information about an area or to capture and share experiences and fieldwork data. The current version is available as a web application that can be accessed on mobile browsers or computers. Situ8 aims to support informal learning activities like tourism and gardening by allowing groups to aggregate location-based data and perspectives.

1. Elizabeth FitzGerald
Institute of Educational Technology
The Open University, UK
elizabeth.fitzgerald@open.ac.uk

2. Situ8 is a tool to let you annotate
physical places with digital information
You can associate different media types (text, image, video, audio,
data) with a particular outdoor location. You can use it when you’re
out and about, to get location-specific information about what is near
you, or you can also use it when you are in a fixed outdoor location.
Situ8 lets you both browse and capture media whilst you are mobile,
i.e. “on-the-fly”, using a web browser on your smartphone.

3. General features
• Browsing and capturing geolocated user-generated
content (Media Objects or ‘Mo’s')
• Share your experiences of your world with others or
capture your own
• Filter Mo’s by date, author, subject and/or tag
• Use for formal or informal learning, citizen science
and collection of fieldwork data

4. Current status
• Initial prototype created as smartphone app, now available through
cross-platform web portal
• Web portal available for use by anyone, via mobile devices and/or
desktop computers
• Register for a Situ8 account or log in using existing OpenID (e.g. Google)
• Test bed for new Open University field courses
• Potential use by Field Studies Council at field centres
• Showcased at Royal Geographical Society
and Technology Strategy Board (TSB)

5. New opportunities
• Central repository for groups of people to aggregate
(fieldwork) data
• Gain different perspectives on how others view our world
• Potential for use with leisure learning e.g. gardening,
tourism and other informal practices, supporting routes into
open education

6. Try it for yourself!
www.situ8.org

7. Want to know more?
www.situ8.org
Twitter: situ8_org
Email: situ8@open.ac.uk
(or
elizabeth.fitzgerald@open.ac.uk)