Using the Moles and Mini Moles Software System to Bridge the Gap between Indoor and Outdoor Learning

The present paper focuses on bridging the gap between inside and outside classroom learning experiences. We present Moles and Mini Moles, a learning software tools system specifically designed to serve this purpose. Secondary school students use these tools for hypothesizing, gathering, and transferring information learned within the classroom and testing their knowledge and recording their experiences in the physical environment outside their classroom. With Moles and Mini Moles, they create interactive multimedia questionnaires and explanatory material, document outdoor learning situations, and present their findings on the Web. We present data from evaluations of practical mobile learning project scenarios, which focus on cross-disciplinary subject material. The data indicates positive effects on various dimensions: using the learning software tools promotes collaborative work, problem solving skills, and organizational skills. Yet, the evaluation results also indicate pronounced gender issues and point out technological problems. An outlook on current and future developments of the Moles and Mini Moles learning tools concludes the paper.