Presentation on Research Buddy and Inquiry-based Learning

1. Point your iPhone or iPad mobile
browser to the following url:
http://mlearning.muohio.edu/rb
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2. Supporting Inquiry-Based Instruction
through Mobile Learning
Kristen Bachman
Dr. Jerry Gannod

3. Agenda
• Introduction
– The Problem
– Motivation
• Background
– Inquiry-Based Learning
– Citizen Science
• Research Buddy App
– What is it?
– Demo
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4. Introduction
• Mobile technology is here to stay…
– The US smartphone market continues to grow
at a fast pace [1]
– 49.7% of mobile phone users own
smartphones
• Inquiry-Based Instruction
– One of the most popular student-centered
models used in education
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5. The Problem
• Mobile Learning pedagogies are not well
defined…
– Schools buy mobile technologies, but do not
know how to use them.
– Little research on the effectiveness of m-learning
solutions
• Learners may be disengaged from core-
aspects of inquiry-based learning
– Large projects may use citizen science
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6. So…
• What we want to know:
– Does disengagement from some inquiry-
based learning process impact one’s ability to
learn?
– Can mobile devices improve engagement and
learning when fully immersed in an inquiry-
based environment?
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7. Essentially…
Do mobile learners
actually learn?
• We would like to think so…
– Few studies supporting/denying claims made
in literature.
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8. Motivation
• Mobile devices have exploded into
popularity
• Research suggests that mobile devices
may have a positive impact on education
and learning[11]
• Mobile learning is a unique research area
– Combines aspects of education, computer
science, and psychology
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9. QUICK BACKGROUND
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10. Inquiry-Based Learning
• Creation of a classroom environment where students are
engaged in open-ended, student-centered, and hands-on
activities. [14]
• Banchi et al. suggest there are 4 levels of inquiry [2]
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11. Inquiry-Based Learning
• Kirchner et al. argue that [8]:
– There is no empirical evidence supporting inquiry-
based learning
– More structured/guided forms of learning are as
effective as unguided models of learning
• HOWEVER, Duncan et al. (2007) note several
inquiry-based learning success stories [7]:
– Reduce achievement gap for African-American
students.
– Improve high-stakes test scores for middle schoolers
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12. Citizen Science
• Citizen Scientists are volunteers who participate as
field assistants in scientific studies [3].
– Not paid
– Often Amateurs
– Strictly gather data
• Examples
– iNaturalist
– Project Dragonfly
– Project Noah
• Important in evaluating the effectiveness of Research
Buddy
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13. RESEARCH BUDDY
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14. What is Research Buddy?
• Suite of
technological tools:
– Mobile App
• iOS
– Research Manager
• Blogspot
– Data Storage
• Google Docs
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15. Research Manager
• Assignments are managed/created using
blogspot
– http://research-buddy.blogspot.com/
• Mobile app displays feed of all
assignments
– Must enter blog address in settings
– Users can select the specific assignment for
which they want/need to gather data
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16. Mobile App
• Developed using Appcelerator Titanium
– Create apps using JS, HTML, and CSS
– Make it easier to target different platforms
• Functions:
– Multi-Counter & Interval Counter
– Timer
– Camera
– Video/Audio Record
– Note-Taking
– Data Summary
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17. Data Manager
• Users upload the data to their personal Google
Docs account
– However, the Research Buddy Data spreadsheet
must be preloaded for Google Docs to work
• A fix for this is in the works…
• One spreadsheet with 4 tabs:
– Notes
– Timer
– Multi-Counter
– Interval Counter
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18. Experiment Overview
• Recently conducted experiment with group of
psychology students.
• Assignment
– Using interval timer, observe instances where people
• Wearing ear phones
• Talking on the phone
• Both
• Neither
• Engaged vs. Unengaged Users
– Research Buddy Users
– Clipboard Users
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19. Expectations
• Expect “Engaged” Research Buddy users to:
– Exhibit most positive attitudes towards using the
technology
– Perform better in assessment and analysis of
gathered data
• What’s more important to a learner?
– Having mobile device…
– OR Understanding the context of a research
problem?
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20. Other
• We expect the time to collect and
aggregate data to be reduced significantly
– May result in more accurate data
• Ability to develop a methodology
demonstrating best uses of Research
Buddy in inquiry-based instruction
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21. DEMO
Point your iPhone or iPad mobile browser
to the following url:
http://mlearning.muohio.edu/rb
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22. HYPOTHESIS
90% of the people attending the
Mobile Learning Experience use
an Apple product
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23. Task Setup
• Go to the “Quests” tab
– Select “Apple Dunking”
– Press “Select”
• Switch to the “Tools” tab
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24. Tasks
Multi-Counter
• Designate one person to
use research buddy
• Go around the table and
count the number of each
kind of mobile device
(either iOS or Android)
• Be sure to click “Save”
when you are done
Notes
• Designate one person to
use research buddy
• Take inventory of the
specific brand and model
of the devices devices
(e.g., iPod, iPhone, iPad,
Motorola Xoom, Kindle
Fire)
• Be sure to click “Save”
when you are done
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25. Sync
• Switch to the “Settings” tab
• Enter the following username and
password:
mu.researchbuddy
passrb12
• Press “Sync”
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26. THE DATA
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27. Conclusions
• Mobile devices are awesome!! Woo!
– But not really a cure-all for education
• More research needed to find out what works and
what does not
• Hope you liked Research Buddy!
– Look for it in the store in the coming months
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28. Questions?
• Mobile Learning Center
– mlearning.muohio.edu
• Email
– mlearning@muohio.edu
• Twitter
– @miami_mlearning
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