”future is already here— it’s just unevenly distributed.” (william gibson)

””Future is already here—Future is already here—it’s just unevenly it’s just unevenly

distributed.”distributed.”(William Gibson)(William Gibson)

Pen-based Learning Technologies in Higher Education: Teaching and Studying Radiographic Anatomy in Mobile Learning Environmentwww.itrace.ing.unict.it/i-trace/

Sanna Vahtivuori-HänninenMedia Education Centre,Dept. of Applied Sciences of Education, University of Helsinki

Kimmo SuomalainenInstitute of Dentistry, Research and Development Unit for Medical Education,University of Helsinki

Terhi Karaharju-SuvantoUniversity Dental Clinic,City of Helsinki and Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki

E-Learn Conference 2008, Las Vegas, November 18th 2008

18/11/2008Vahtivuori-Hänninen, Suomalainen & Karaharju-Suvanto 3

Contents

1 I-Trace Project

2 Aims

3 Designing Principles

4 Implementation

5 Research Questions, Methods and Data Collection

6 Findings

7 Conclusions


I-Trace Project

I-Trace – Interactive Tracing and Graphical Annotationin Pen-based E-learning

Aims to develop and evaluate new generation of hand-held devices and pedagogical concepts, especially pen-based learning technologies (PBLT) in educational context

Co-run by universities of Catania, Rome, Naples, and Helsinki, and the Technical Universities of Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca, and Eedo Knowledgeware Corporation


Aims

To understand better PBLT and the role of mobility for

future teaching, studying and learning (TSL) needs

To use and create appropriate pedagogical concepts

and models for network-based mobile education (NBME)

To develop a feasible pedagogical concept for studying

dentistry in more student-oriented way

www.itrace.ing.unict.it/i-trace/

http://www.itrace.ing.unict.it/i-trace/







Designing of the Study Module

Consideration of the broad context and transdisciplinary

approach combination of multiple tools and uses for a

purposive TSL environment

Planning of the TSL process based on the collaborative

action of the students and the teachers (See e.g. Bonk &

Reynolds 1997)

Emphasis on pre-interaction phase when planning

teaching process

Taking into account pedagogicals models and

charateristics of TSL process


Implementation 1

1. Three contact units—orientation, checkpoint meeting and debriefing, plus two net-based units

2. Students split up into pairs with one Tablet PC

3. Pairs designed their schedule and working plan for the net-based units

4. The first task in the net-based unit was to get acquainted with the learning environment

5. Students used groupware with their tablet PCs to comment their experiences and problems with the Web-Trace cephalometric software


Implementation 2

6. In the second F2F meeting students traced ten cephalometric cases

7. In the second net-based unit students traced and evaluated as many cases as they like to, in addition to these ten obligatory cases

8. Teachers provided feedback on the process (comments for questions)

9. Students reported on their work and problems in the groupware tool

10. Debriefing


Outline of the Cephalometric Study Module

Info about Cephalometric

tracing

Web-questionnaire

F2

FN

BE

R e s e a r c h p r o c e s s

Orientation lecture

F2F meeting I

solving problems ja summing up what have

been learned so far

Evaluation, sharing experiences and closing

up the seminar

Questions and problems to groupware

Getting familiar with the tablet pc,

software and network-

environment

• Getting familiar with the software,

tutorial

F2F Meeting III

Students design their own

schedules

NBE study phase I Two weeks

F2F meeting II NBE study

phase IIOne week

Trainingof the test

pictures

Questions and problems to groupware

Test I: Tracing the test pictures

Test II: Tracing the test pictures

I-trace video clipwww.itrace.ing.unict.it/i-trace/







www.helsinki.fi/sokla/media/


Theoretical Background 1

Pedagogical model—Plan or model by which it is possible to direct the planning of instruction and design teaching and studying materials (Joyce & Weil, 1980)

Decisions and activities in the TSL situation are often based more on everyday information emerging from intuition and experience than the research information (Kansanen et al., 2000; Jyrhämä, 2002)

More freedom of choice and skill to choose the most effective pedagogical solution, when having the know-how from theory and different pedagogical models (Vahtivuori-Hänninen, 2004; Tissari et al., 2004)

With the aid of pedagogical models, it is possible to find means for the design of research-based, reflective and high-quality network-based mobile TSL environment


Theoretical Background 2

Mobile learning as learning and communication, in which different tools and mobile technologies are used (Tella, 2005)

As mobile technologies, all different mobile, ‘portable’ and ‘hand-size’ multi media communicators, smart telephones, PDA gadgets etc.

Wireless, mediated communication between people Mobility regarded as movability (Kynäslahti & Seppälä, 2003; Lehtonen & Vahtivuori-Hänninen, 2004)

Elements of mobility; convenience—rationality, expediency, immediacy and quality of life (Kynäslahti 2003, 47)

In mobile learning environment, mobile tools can be seen as a range of tools that support thought and activity and are well suited to a particular TSL situation and activity (mind tools)


Four Key Elementsof Mobility

1 Convenience/rationality

3 Immediacy

4 Quality

of Life

2 Expediency

1 Rational time management

2 Intentional moving in a certain environment

Context part of the TSL process

3 Perfoming educational act immediately

4 Suitable time and place for educational activities


Research Questions

1. What characteristics of the pedagogical models can

be seen in the study module?

2. What are the students’ perceptions of the usability

of the PLTs?

3. How, from the students’ perspectives, does mobility

and mobile tools support studying and learning?


Research Methods and Data Collection

Both qualitative and quantitative methods

Ethnographic research

Data collection methods used comprised 1) participant observations, 2) transcribed interviews of the students (N=9), and 3) a network-based questionnaire (N=48)

Network-based discussions of the students participating in the study were stored in the groupware

F2F meetings were recorded by digital video

Content analysis, statistical comparisons (KW test), and descriptions were applied forms of analysis


Some Findings RQ 1

Study method used was found a beneficial way to study and learn

Characteristics of the individual study model were emphasized when considering of the pedagogical models

Drawing with the digital pen was found an effective way to learn X-ray anatomy and cephalometric tracing E.g. less time was used with better results, when comparing the

mobile Web-Trace rehearsal with traditional tracing method of the X-ray pictures with light desks and transparencies

Web-Trace X-ray case library was found beneficial Fostered and encouraged to drill again different case images

and new anatomical shapes


Some Findings RQ 1

The factors which promoted new skills most1. Drawing the pictures independently2. Clear and well-implemented pedagogical course structure 3. Good-quality tutorial of the software

Lack of elements of the collaboration models or groupinvestigation model

Instead of a real collaboration, a communicative and reciprocal teaching model and peer support was implementedin the face-to-face meetings

Students reported this study method to be suitable for learning cephalometric tracing

Four out of five of all students felt that this study method activated their learning considerably and was interactive.

Two thirds of the students reported this study module was dealing with real life problems and situations and will benefit their future work as dentists


Some Findings RQ 2

Software was very inspiring and the primary reactions of the users were positive

Usability and quality of the tutorial was found very good Students had much technical difficulties with the software

Wireless connection of the HU Hupnet was too slow for

the fluent use of the Web-Trace software

Evaluation tool worked well only occasionally—

approximately 20% to 25% of the X-rays could be

evaluated easily by the students


Some Findings RQ 3

Students experienced to be free to work wherever and whenever they wanted, at home or at the university authentic environments and crossing borders of time and space

More that half of the students found that mobility supported their studying and learning SL process is on and possible “all the time in a relax and natural way”

Three out of four students found that the mobility of the equipment enhanced their studies above moderate

Studying dentistry very much based on practical skills and competences, which must be trained in the the real-life situations

Sceptisism about the full potential of the mobile learning environment in dentistry

Movability and the mobile devices were found very promising and useful to support TSL process in the near future


Conlusions 1

Creation of the new teachingand studying culture in higher education

A higher theoretical level is demanded when designing NBME than face-to-face teaching

Engagement and tight collaboration between different levels of (TSL) organization and partners is crucial

Enough resources and time available for teachers’ guidance is needed

http://www.edu.helsinki.fi/media/index.html


Conlusions 2

New working methods and network-based mobile learning environment motivated students

Mobile learning environment supported teaching and guidance in network-based environments

Mobile learning and the educational use of PBLT is a possible way to organize TSL process in higher-education context in more student-oriented way

http://www.edu.helsinki.fi/media/index.html


Thank You!

For more information:Sanna Vahtivuori-Hä[email protected]

Media Education CentreHelsinki University


mailto:[email protected]

”future is already here— it’s just unevenly distributed.” (william gibson)

Documents

netbased unit students

learning tsl

suomalainen karaharjusuvanto6

suomalainen karaharjusuvanto5

suomalainen karaharjusuvanto4

penbased elearning

netbased units

university of helsinki