Scenarios for Mobile Learning across Contexts

Mobile learning has been described as learning across various contexts, but the situated potentials of different contexts for learners and resulting requirements for learnercentered system design have rarely been considered. We discuss design challenges and opportunities of portable technologies to support learning activities inside the classroom and outside across various contexts. A functional software prototype for interactive whiteboards, and pen-tablets and PDAs has been implemented in order to support learning activities in the classroom, at home, and in the wild. Futures workshops have been conducted to sketch out additional scenarios for mobile learning applications, named Pattern Collector, Natural Ideograms, Contextual Windows, Augmented Tourguide, Mobile Library, and Wiki School. Drawing from psychological and pedagogical theory we explore their unique potential to support learning across contexts. Their contrastive discussion indicates different notions of context and indicates new directions for designing learner-centered systems.