Abstract:

M-learning in the field of location aware learning bring us a powerful possibility to discover and research our surrounding environment. City-multimedia guides and touristic services based upon geolocation technologies are becoming very popular. Furthermore m-learning experiences have been also implemented in order to explore natural (non urban) locations like natural parks and areas of ecological interest. Technically multimedia guides for outdoor use have to lead with four main handicaps in the nature: no, weak or broken data connection, adverse light condition for LCD displays (both capacitive or resistive), limited battery life and malfunction under adverse weather conditions (by rain or extreme temperatures). Ahead of technical limitations the use of multimedia guides in natural environments offers a plenty of advantages, specially there where offering information on analogical supports is difficult or is not desired. For the near future a development of the technical possibilities of forthcoming devices is expected, this will allow new and more sophisticated functions. But for learning purposes we may pay attention as well to the learn process where f.e. usability, motivation are crucial, and also to the kind of information given has to be evaluated. The aim of this paper is to present a study on the information offered on three cases of multimedia guides for natural locations, in order to know what kind of information is being used for educational purposes, what can a visitor do with it, and how can a visitor enhances her/his knowledge with a multimedia guide? Thus an analysis of the information, and how, it is offered in such multimedia outdoor guides is necessary. Three different guides have been compared: the one of the 'Sea and Land' National Park of the Atlantic Islands in Galicia (Northwest Spain), with multimedia portable information accessible only on the Internet–, the NABU-AlbEntdecker (for the Alb Mountains in South Germany), a multimedia guide for specific gadget with geolocation function, and the iWebPark SNP for the Swiss National Park (in East Switzerland), also a multimedia guide for PDAs (running under iOS) available as commercial application. If, by one hand, the used of multimedia guides can be rated as very positive: some of the m-learning advantages are widely implemented (specially in the use of audio and video files, and located information). By the other hand some given functions are constricted by technical handicaps and the information provided, in many cases, does not suppose a significant quality shift from conventional information panels or printed guides (static information, not user adaptive, poor self exploring functions…). A deep m-learning concept has to be achieved for natural environments where pleasure, physical activity, land navigation, contemplation of the landscape and knowledge are strongly linked.