Assessing informal learning: a case study using

historical audio guides

Elizabeth FitzGerald, IET

(Nottingham castle on fire, courtesy of www.picturethepast.org.uk)

Overview of the project• Developed existing interest between local community

history group and academics in School of History at University of Nottingham

• Investigated how located audio can be used to provide opportunities for historical learning in public history

• Case study of the 1831 Reform Riot in Nottingham, content initiated by the community group

• Conducted 2 types of guided walk:– People-led– Technology-led

What were we trying to find out?

• Can mobile technology be used to convey historical empathy and learning of contested perspectives from different historical sources, in an history walk format?

• Main questions to the participants in the walk:– Who were the rioters?– What motivated them to engage in their direct action?

• Academic research questions– Historical focus– Educational focus– User experience

Historical research areas1. Historical literacy concerning the Reform Riots in Nottingham,

asking: What happened in the period of the riots?2. Historical empathy with the

people involved: What were this period and these events like for different people?

3. Historical interpretation: how were these events and their causes viewed from differing and/or conflicting perspectives?

Experiencing ‘empathy’ with historical subjects

Responding to & evaluating

accounts from a variety of

perspectives

Attaining historical literacy

Stages in the project• Planning meeting [Sept/Oct 2010]• People-led guided walk [Oct 2010]• Recording of audio files [Jan 2011]• Technology-led guided walk [Feb 2011]

Stage 1 – Planning meeting

• Route, narrative, source materials and handouts were organised by members of People’s Histreh

• Emphasis on experiences and aspirations of ‘ordinary people’ of Nottingham as starting point for understanding the riots

• Self-directed ‘active learning’ – carried out intuitively• ‘Learning by doing’• Use the walk as a way of disseminating what they have

learned

Stage 2 – To the Castle! ‘people-led’ walk

(Images above courtesy of Indymedia http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/510)

Stage 3 – Audio: recording and playback• New audio files recorded by People’s Histreh• Researcher acted as navigator/guide where needed• Used ‘7scenes’ mobile app/website for playback of

geolocated audio when entering a ‘trigger’ region:http://7scenes.com/scene/776506

• Failsafe – use mp3 files stored on the handheld device with paper map

Stage 4 – To the Castle! ‘technology-led’ walk

Historical research areas1. Historical literacy concerning the Reform Riots in Nottingham,

asking: What happened in the period of the riots?2. Historical empathy with the

people involved: What were this period and these events like for different people?

3. Historical interpretation: how were these events and their causes viewed from differing and/or conflicting perspectives?

Experiencing ‘empathy’ with historical subjects

Responding to & evaluating

accounts from a variety of

perspectives

Attaining historical literacy

Main findings• Difficult to draw comparisons between the two walks –

too many variables that could not be predicted or controlled

• However, from analysis of the questionnaires, interviews and researcher observations:

Showed evidence of historical literacy

Showed evidence of historical empathy

Showed evidence of historical interpretation

People-led walk (n=10)

70% 50% clear evidence, 20% partial evidence

10% clear evidence, 30% partial evidence

Technology-led walk (n=6)

100% 67% clear evidence, 33% partial evidence

67% clear evidence, 33% partial evidence

What does this tell us? How is it useful?• This framework can be used as explicit guidelines when

designing future walks (feedback to People’s Histreh)• Can be used as questions to guide public engagement

with historical reference sources and data• A way in which participants can reflect on what they’ve

heard on the tour and ask them to frame the content with respect to particular themes

• Could be used more widely when considering informal history learning – e.g. when engaging with other media that teaches us about history

… but this IS work in progress so feedback / comments are very welcome!

Thanks for listening…Elizabeth FitzGerald, IETe.j.fitzgerald@open.ac.ukhttp://iet.open.ac.uk/e.j.fitzgerald

Other members of the project team:Claire Taylor, School of History, University of NottinghamMike Craven, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham

People’s Histrehhttp://peopleshistreh.wordpress.com

A massive thanks to all those who participated in the walks and who gave us valuable feedback on this project, also to Faye Taylor and Robert Jones who assisted in the research.