Development and Evaluation of a Web 2.0-Based Ubiquitous Learning Platform for Schoolyard Plant Identification

• Published in: International journal of distance education technologies 2014-04, Vol.12 (2), p.83-103
• Main Authors: Hwang, Gwo-Haur, Chu, Hui-Chun, Chen, Beyin, Cheng, Zheng Shan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ambient intelligence; Coding; Cognitive Style; Communications; Context; Cooperative Learning; Detection; Distance education; Distance learning; Ecology; Educational Resources; Educational Technology; Electronic Learning; Elementary School Students; Experiential Learning; Experiments; Foreign Countries; Grade 4; Grade 5; Handheld Devices; Hypothesis Testing; Identification; Instructional Materials; Intention; Interviews; Learning; Learning Motivation; Natural Sciences; Outdoor Education; Pretests Posttests; Questionnaires; Quick Response; Radio frequency identification; Regression (Statistics); Smartphones; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Student Motivation; Students; Taiwan; Usability; Web 2.0; Web 2.0 Technologies; Wireless communication; Wireless communications
• ISSN: 1539-3100; 1539-3119
• DOI: 10.4018/ijdet.2014040105

The rapid progress of wireless communication, sensing, and mobile technologies has enabled students to learn in an environment that combines learning resources from both the real world and the digital world. It can be viewed as a new learning style which has been called context-aware ubiquitous learning. Most context-aware ubiquitous learning systems employ expensive sensing technologies, such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), to detect the real-world learning behaviors of students and to provide personalized learning guidance accordingly. In this paper, the authors use QR (Quick Response) code, a low cost technology that is available on smart phones for detecting students' real-world learning status. Moreover, Web 2.0 technology is employed to enable students to collaboratively build a learning materials database. An experiment was conducted to investigate the relationships between the system quality, personal factors, learning motivation, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use, learning attitude, and behavioral intention of the students. In addition, from the interviews, it was found that most of the students felt interested in learning with the system and considered it as a helpful learning tool.