Harri Ketamo

mLearning for kindergarten's mathematics teaching

The aim of this study was to develop a geometry learning game for handheld devices that adapts to the users behaviour. The learners in this study were six years old Finnish pre-school pupils. The adaptive system was very limited and the observed behaviour was defined to be very simple. Despite that, the developed software achieves good learning results among the tested pupils. The study shows that the learning effect is very promising with this kind of a handheld platform and simple adaptation system. This study gives good visions of what can be achieved with more complex behaviour adaptive systems in the field of eLearning.

xTask: an adaptable learning environment

The general aim of this study was to develop a platform-adaptive learning environment (xTask) and to evaluate its use. The software environment can be accessed by PCs or mobile devices, such as PDAs or Communicator. The empirical part of the study was carried out during May 2002 with 10 students between 21 and 50 years of age participating in a course on mobile device usability. In the study the xTask interface proved functional. The working processes show clearly that there were phases when the work was efficient with mobile devices, but students also felt that mobile devices were not ready to be the only platform for learning. They preferred PCs with wired networks, but admitted that PDAs could be used to support aspects of the learning processes. Generally, mobile technologies can bring some added value for network based learning, but they cannot replace traditional computers.

xTask-adaptable working environment

Traditional web-based learning environments are all good solutions to reach the time and place independent studying, but studying is still dependent on place with access to network. With new mobile technologies we can create the training environment, which can be accessed by mobile terminals (PDAs such as Compaq iPaq or WAP phones) and PCs. This paper describes a study for which the aim was to implement a mobile environment, xTask, for teaching and training. The xTask can be accessed by PCs or PDAs and it is built over free software platforms (such as Apache web-server, ActivePerl programming interface and MySql database). Free software platforms are utilized to make it possible for anyone to use xTask after the main parts of the software are published at the end of 2002 under GPL license.

Towards Adaptive Learning Materials: Speed of Interaction and Relative Number of Mistakes as Indicators of Learning Results

The aim of this study was to explore the significance of interaction in multimedia learning materials. Two explanative variables were modelled from the primary variables of the collected data. Those variables were (1) time between two user events, named as interaction, and (2) relative error. The results of this study showed a clear connection between the usage of the learning material and the learning results. In general, the learning material should be difficult enough to influence thinking. Improved thinking could be achieved either as an inner process, when interaction between material and learner was slow, or with fast interaction, when the number of mistakes increases. In the developing of adaptive multimedia learning materials, the utilisation of these two variables seem to be quite promising.

Evaluating Cognitive and Affective Outcomes of a Digital Game-Based Math Test

Even though digital learning games have become common in education, relatively little is known about the usefulness of game-based assessment. This paper aims to explore if a game-based math test can provide added value to math education with respect to cognitive and affective outcomes. We used in-game measures, embedded in the game called Semideus Exam, focusing on conceptual fraction knowledge. In order to validate the game-based assessment approach, we compared the cognitive outcomes of 51 Finnish sixth graders, who completed both paper-based and game-based math tests in a randomized order. In addition, the students’ test anxiety and flow experience were measured to evaluate the affective outcomes. The results indicate that the game-based test scores correlated significantly with the paper-based test scores suggesting that the game-based assessment was successfully implemented and the game provided comparable data with the paper-based test approach. More importantly, the results revealed that game-based assessment lowered test anxiety and increased engagement which is likely to decrease assessment bias caused by test anxiety. In addition, the results show that earlier playing experience and gender did not influence the game-based test score suggesting fairness of the game-based assessment approach. Although we identified several benefits of the game-based assessment approach, more evidence is needed on the usefulness and fairness of game-based assessments.

Learning by Teaching

Games are a new form of storytelling and social interaction for the younger generation. Furthermore, learning has always been about storytelling and social interaction; infants learn from their parents, children learn from their siblings and friends, and even formal education is based on narration. Furthermore, children are ready to do more work for their game characters than what they are willing to do for themselves.

Mobile Technologies and Education

The objective of this study was to explore new and mobile collaboration technologies and to try to find more effective ways for museum visits with mobile technologies. The study was implemented in December 2002 with 20 Finnish high school students. The students were participating in alternative art course. All of the students seemed to learn quite easily the technologies and methods used in this study but still there was a lack of time in every lesson. This leads us to few important conclusions: When the new technology is used with new students and in new environments, it is necessary the reserve enough time for students to get familiar with new technology and new teaching arrangements.

Identifying Hypermedia Browsing Strategies

Browsing strategies have been studied mostly from the browsing patterns point of view. In this paper the browsing strategies have been approached with statistical methods. As a final result, a three-cluster browsing strategy model was defined according to empirical data, collected from web-based course. This model could be used as a background for constructing adaptive navigation for web-based learning material. Also a revised framework for navigation is presented.

Teacher in the Mobile World

In this paper, we discuss wireless technologies and their role in educationalapplications and in teachers’ everyday work. Today we already have powerful handheld devices that have wireless internet connection. History has shown that new technologies are often applied to merely do the same tasks as previous technologies. Handheld devices could provide teachers with new opportunities, but not by simply transforming current W W W content to handheld devices. What would be the best way to apply these technologies? In this paper we present the results from the study of Finnish youth as users of mobile phones. Based on this study we can say that Finnish youth are ready to adopt new mobile technologies for everyday use. In addition we discuss three current mainstream technologies, namely Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Java MIDIet and PocketPC as examples of new mobile technologies and implementation platforms. In particular we try to focus on how teachers could apply these technologies in their teaching.

User-Generated Character Behaviors in Educational Games

Games are the new form of storytelling and social interaction for younger generation. It might be surprising, but children are ready to do more work for their game characters than what they are ready to do for themselves. Because of this, we started to develop methods to enable user-generated character behaviours for educational games. In this paper, we show how user-generated behaviours can be recorded and shared in educational games. Furthermore, we demonstrate how user-generated behaviours can provide teachers and parents very detailed information about individual child’s learning process.