Mobile and Contextual Learning

13 November 2008 call for papers for a Special Issue of ALT-J, Research in Learning Technology (Volume 17, Number 3)

Guest Editors

Professor Agnes Kukulska-Hulme (Open University, UK) and Professor Mike Sharples (Nottingham University, UK)

Deadline for submission of papers: 15 January 2009

Note: the 21 January 2008 call for papers on learning and teaching in immersive virtual worlds is now closed.

Mobile learning is rapidly growing from a set of research projects into worldwide deployment of services for classrooms, field trips, workplace training, tourism and informal education. Major projects have developed generic platforms for mobile learning and explored the opportunities for supporting the continuity of technology-mediated learning across locations and life transitions. Smaller projects have often tried out new pedagogical approaches and investigated how learning on portable devices interweaves with learners' everyday lives, personal interests and individual learning needs.

We take a broad definition of mobile learning as learning that happens across locations, or that takes advantage of learning opportunities offered by portable technologies [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-learning]. This includes learning with handheld devices, learning across locations (with a combination of portable and fixed technologies), and learning in a mobile society. Support for contextual learning uses awareness of learners' locations, movements, social contacts, or context-specific requirements, to enable delivery or capture of appropriate content and to facilitate context-specific interactions.

The aim of this special issue of ALT-J is to develop and publish a timely collection of papers representing current research, developments and ideas in mobile and contextual learning. Of particular interest are papers that go beyond descriptions of objects and activities to build links between practice and pedagogy, and offer conceptual, methodological and analytical rigour. Example topic areas for inclusion in this special issue include, but are not necessarily confined to:

1. Evaluation of mobile learning in any combination of classrooms, homes, workplaces, heritage locations, museums and learning centres, and outdoors;
2. Design of mobile, pervasive, and contextual technologies for learning
3. Theories of mobile learning mediated by technology;
4. Pedagogical or philosophical underpinnings of mobile learning;
5. Innovative architectures for mobile learning systems;
6. Inclusive and assistive mobile learning;
7. Content management and delivery for learning on mobile devices;
8. Collaborative and social mobile learning;
9. Blended learning with mobile and fixed technologies;
10. Personal mobile technology to support lifelong and life-wide learning;
11. Ambient and immersive environments for learning.

Guest Editors:
Agnes Kukulska-Hulme is Professor of Learning Technology and Communication in The Open University's Institute of Educational Technology. She is co-editor of the book Mobile Learning: A Handbook for Educators and Trainers, a recent issue of the journal ReCALL on mobile-assisted language learning, and a forthcoming book on Researching Mobile Learning: Frameworks, Methods and Research Designs.

Mike Sharples is Professor of Learning Sciences and Director of the Learning Sciences Research Institute, University of Nottingham. He is President of the International Association for Mobile Learning and his current projects include Personal Inquiry (PI): Designing for Evidence-based Inquiry Learning across Formal and Informal Settings.

Types of papers:
To ensure both the quality and usefulness of the contributions a variety of papers will be considered. These might include, for example:

• a theory-informed case study of mobile learning, including a qualitative or comparative evaluation;
• a design study for an innovative approach to learning with mobile or contextual technology;
• a critical review of current literature;
• a contribution to the theory of mobile learning.

Submission and review process:
The submission of abstracts for informal feedback is encouraged.

They can be sent directly to guest editors until 1 December 2008.

Full papers must be submitted according to the journal's Instructions for Authors at http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/09687769.asp.

Papers should be submitted via the Manuscript Central online submission system at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/calt before 15 January 2009.

Papers received will undergo peer review and authors will receive feedback and where appropriate, an opportunity to revise their paper. An additional round of reviewing is sometimes used to encourage authors to improve their paper, either for this special issue, or a subsequent issue of ALT-J.

For other queries and guidance relating to the call please contact the Special Issue Editors:

Agnes Kukulska-Hulme or Mike Sharples