Abstract:

Creative and collaborative learning has profound implications for all parts of the system we have built up in our societies — not only the education systems but also the social, economic and cultural systems. Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) research has increasingly focused on emergent technologies such as serious gaming, Extended Reality (ER) to improve learner’s engagement in enriched multimodal learning environments.

In this paper, we firstly introduce technoself enhanced learning as a novel sociological learning model to improve student engagement by shaping personal learning focus and setting in pervasive learning. We then present collaborative learning practices developed in partnership with cultural sectors, that facilitate students as co-creators to get involved in external projects and further transform their knowledge and skills by exploring digital transformation approaches to cultural communication. By adopting the technoself pedagogy in the agile working process, we successfully design and prototype a pilot creative project, that recreates the historic BBC Studios in 1930 at Alexandra Palace, UK. Students were engaged in the project to work on the digital solutions that promote unforgettable stories up to today. The prototypes that were created exploited the immersiveness of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and game technology. These included ‘Step Back in Time’, a mobile VR-based interactive tour of historic BBC studios that takes visitors back to 1930; and ‘Digital 3D Popping up’, a mobile interactive AR application showcasing 3D historical equipment kept at BBC 1935 studio at Alexandra Palace. The collaborative learning practice provides fresh perspectives and windows onto inaccessible histories, spaces and collections. It was made up of practical exercises, examples and case studies that elaborate on digital transformation, increasing relevance and public engagement and impacts and sustainability of symbiotic relationships created.

The pilot pedagogical practice focuses on providing a vibrant collaborative learning environment which fosters innovation and creativity, informed by practice, inspired by TEL research across disciplines. The collaborative learning practices also support cultural sectors to inspire their visitors and to help curators think beyond their current boundaries, providing a new, mixed media and technological approach to raise cultural awareness to the wider audiences. It will provide a vibrant learning and interpretation platform to cross generational visitors through active participation and engagement. Further, we will explore how to meaningfully engage with cross discipline students whose far-reaching interests can often have a digital transformational impact on the cultural landscape and pedagogical impact on the wider communities.

Keywords:

Creative and collaborative learning, technology enhanced learning, Extended Reality.