Integrating socio‐cultural contexts and location‐based systems for ubiquitous language learning in museums: A state of the art review of 2009–2014

Abstract

Context‐dependent learning systems are now becoming more common in museums, as most students are equipped with mobile devices. As there has been little research into context‐aware mobile applications in museums, the present study aims to investigate ubiquitous language learning in socio‐cultural contexts, as well as recent trends in using location‐based systems. Therefore, the following three issues are reviewed in related articles published between 2009 and 2014: system usefulness, activity usefulness and activity playfulness in museum learning. The researchers used keywords to search for relevant articles from the ISI (Institute for Scientific Information) Web of Science and other databases. The abstracts and content of the searched articles were then analyzed. The results show that the location‐aware features (GPS or Google App‐based) embedded in mobile phones, adaptive language learning and socio‐cultural interaction in museums are intertwined in the literature. The literature also shows that in recent years students have transformed from being passive receivers to active learners. Specifically, students tended to rely on system guidance in 2009–2011, and activities were more focused on individual learning with less real‐life social interaction, and this thus reduced the level of playfulness. An important finding in the literature from 2012 to 14 is that many museums adopted ubiquitous location‐based systems using mobile devices, which help to strengthen social ties when students work collaboratively to perform language learning activities. This has also allowed museums to evolve from mobile‐learning to ubiquitous‐learning environments, in various socio‐cultural contexts. The results of this review study have implications for language teachers and museum educators, to help them implement appropriate ubiquitous learning systems in various socio‐cultural contexts.

Mobile‐based collaborative learning in the fitness center: A case study on the development of English listening comprehension with a context‐aware application

“…Immediacy allows learners to access learning materials instantly, while interactivity refers to interaction that occurs not only among learners and learners or teachers, but also between learners and the learning devices themselves. Finally, situations means that with the assistance of mobile devices and sensing tools, learning can become pervasive in daily life in an authentic and natural way, and thus the learners eventually become unconscious of the learning processes that are occurring (Liu, Kuo, Shi, & Chen, ; Wang et al, ).…”

“…Ubiquitous computing sensing technology has considerable potential for application in u‐learning, which aims to provide users with the right content at the right time and in the right place (Liu et al, ; Wang et al, ). Many studies (eg, Liu et al, ) have aimed to help learners to combine the context they are in with specific learning content to make learning more authentic and meaningful.…”

Investigating the use of mobile applications in everyday language learning

“…Active learning can be promoted using 'playful', fun activities designed in language learning apps that take the students out of the classrooms into museums and other socio-cultural contexts for their learning (Wang et al, 2017). Additionally, the new knowledge that the participants mostly prefer using Google Translate and online dictionaries for language learning suggest that mobile apps designers should consider the simple functionality of these apps and intentionality of the users into their future designs.…”

“…There were mobile learning applications on vocabulary and grammar lessons (Thornton and Houser, 2005), the use of text messages to learn Italian outside the classroom (Levy and Kennedy, 2005;Kennedy et al, 2008), the development of 'short (from 30 seconds to 10 minutes) learning modules' to cater to the 'highly fragmented' attention of m-learners (Trifanova andRonchetti, 2003, p. 1796) and more active language learning in museums (Wang et al, 2017). Viberg and Grönlund, (2012) reviewed MALL research (2007 in the explicit area of second language acquisition and found that mobile technology could enhance learners' second language acquisition.…”

“…Hence, language learning in everyday environments has become more self-directed and learnercentered as the mobile devices assist and enhance the processes of resource sharing, creation and collaboration among communities of learners (Godwin-Jones, 2011;Wang, Liu and Hwang, 2017). Thus, there is a compelling need to understand how youth use their smart devices to learn in general and learning languages in particular, and if that learning takes place during everyday routines and in the interconnection of life, education, leisure and work.…”