Learning on the Go
Abstract: As a young child, I dutifully followed my grandmother on senior bus tours around
Ohio and to our nation’s capital. Discovering new places, meeting new people, and learning the
history of both fascinated me. Then, I began my formal education. Reared in the school of rote
memorization, history became names and dates aligned in perfect, sequential rows, and I
preferred to sleep through it all. Boring textbooks written without any personality did nothing to
awaken me. At that time, I thought this was just the way schooling worked, and it was one of
those necessary evils one just had to get through. But what if things could be different? The fact
is utilizing today s technology CAN make things different. Immersing students in multi-media
simulations can make history come alive. Mobile computing can provide opportunities for
developmentally appropriate movement and bring authentic learning to distant locations. Multiplayer gaming components allow students to collaborate and engage in higher-order thinking.
This poster presentation will discuss the development process to date of an in-progress,
location-based, augmented reality simulation design that will utilize GPS and hand-held
computing to bring history alive. It will follow the project, based on the Black Heritage Trail in
Boston and the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for 8th-10th grade American History, from
its initial conception, discussing the research involved in developing the curriculum; the planning
of the gaming components and flow of the simulation; and other design considerations. The
poster will also address the differences between the current traditional tour and the proposed
interactive simulation. If you are interested in the design process and would like to learn how to
transform traditional curriculum into interactive, technology-based instruction, this session
would be of interest to you. Additionally, the goal of the presentation would be to network with
others interested in mobile learning to gain insights on current technology platforms that could
be utilized for the development of the simulation.
Description of the planned Poster/Demonstration: A poster and PowerPoint will be used
during the demonstration. The poster will have 3 sections: research on gaming and mobile
learning; a comparison of the traditional tour with the proposed interactive simulation using
mobile computing; and a design section that outlines the considerations and flow of the
augmented reality simulation.
Problem: The Black Heritage Trail is located on Beacon Hill in Boston, Massachusetts. The trail’s
purpose is to share the rich history of Black Bostonians from the mid-1800’s. Run through a
partnership of the National Park Service and the Museum of African American History, the goals
of the tour include: to promote Black History, to promote change through the power of
activism, and to inspire future generations to take a stand in a socially appropriate way for their
beliefs and what is right. However, because the majority of the historical sites on the tour are
now privately owned properties, tour participants stand outside the doors of buildings and
either read a short blurb in a pamphlet on what once happened at that location or listen to a
NPS tour guide tell that story while holding up a pixelated image. While the tour guide does a
better job of bringing life to the story than the pamphlet, street and pedestrian traffic often
make it difficult to hear if one is in the back of a large group. Additionally, the story remains
someone else’s story – it is not personal.
What was done: The Black Heritage Trail Augmented Reality Project started at the Harvard
Graduate School of Education as part of an emerging technologies course taught by Chris Dede.
A spin-off of the Handheld Augmented Reality Project (HARP), the original tour was evaluated
along with the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for 8th – 10th grade American History to
create the foundation for a new learning program that better covered the state history
curriculum, met the goals of the museum, and engaged teen learners.
Over the course of a year, the content and flow of the simulation, which immersed learners into
the time period by having them become self-emancipated slaves arriving in Boston just prior to
the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, was developed and refined. Working in
conjunction with the Museum of African American History, pre and post trip curriculums were
also developed for teachers to use in their classrooms.
The simulation itself is used on the walking tour. Students work collaboratively in groups of 4 to
become sustainable and stay free. The use of multimedia (and ear buds) allow students to see
reenactments of events, listen to speeches that were given, and interact with characters from
the past.
Currently, the project has moved to Ohio University as part of my doctoral research.
Technologies are being researched so a platform can be chosen, and programming can begin.
Why the work is important: First, many current AR simulations have been funded by STEM
grants and therefore focus on math and science education. Moving into the humanities is a
groundbreaking step for this type of research. Secondly, mobile learning helps teachers meet
the National Middle School Association recommendations for developmentally appropriate
movement and state history curriculum standards. Additionally, the hand-held simulation helps
develop 21st Century skills such as collaboration, the use of technology, multimedia literacy, and
problem solving. Third, and perhaps most importantly, mobile learning is mobile. GPS devices
can be location specific as we have talked about here where students walk the actual trail and
the GPS triggers events. However, the same program can also be done to scale in another
environment; thereby enabling the Black Heritage Trail tour to be taken on the local football
field in Logan, OH; Clovis, NM; Jacksonville, FL; Los Angeles, CA or anywhere else – essentially
letting all students to “visit” our nations historical sites.