1. TRAV – Integrating Learning Objects in Social
Collaboration and Developing User Support
EDEN Conference: Porto June 2012
DR HEDVA VITAL
HA’KIBBUTZIM COLLEGE, ISRAEL
DR ALAN BRUCE
UNIVERSAL LEARNING SYSTEMS, IRELAND

2. INTRODUCTION
 Mobility
 Change dynamics
 Demographic challenges of aging
populations
 Young adults
 Mobile learning
How do they all blend and create multiple
solutions?

3. ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE
 Can learning bridge the demographic gap in shared
spaces?
 How can interactive M-learning address both young
and mature lifelong learners (MLLL) via personal
mobile phones?
 How are issues around MLLLs dependence and
potential opportunities resolved, re contributions
made at formal and informal levels?
 How does that match with younger populations?
 How can young people help MLLLs adapt and learn
differently using M-learning (mobile learning), as well
as a nano lesson methodology?

4. CONTEXTS OF CHANGE
 Demographic imbalance: age, migration and
family structures
 The future of employment and work
 Planning in a time of sustained economic crisis
 Structures of hope and innovation – thinking
outside the box
 Innovation imperatives

5. YA AND MLLLS
Shared interests of MLLLs and YA:
 An interest and enjoyment in travelling and
tourism related activities.
 Lack of daily responsibility for family
obligations
 Substantial free time

6. YA VS. MLLLS
Unlike MLLLs, YA populations are already adept at
booking trips, planning itineraries and using language
phrases on their mobile phones or online.
 MLLL populations more hesitant about processes
involved in independent travel, booking tickets online
or learning about places/languages from mobile
phones.
 MLLL populations may lack confidence, often display
elements of technophobia, have established
traditional learning habits or age-related impairments
(limited vision, motor skills or cognition).

7. M LEARNING: HOW DOES IT AFFECT EACH
POPULATION?
For MLLLs:
 New perspective on learning, with learning experiences that
change.
 Lack of familiarity with latest technologies.
 Confusion with pace of technological development.
For YA:
 Born into generation of mobile phones – using requires no effort.
 Strongly attached to their phones - will agree to undertake
anything if done via mobile phones.
 Mobile phones serve as main avenue of daily communication and
as significant edutainment/entertainment resources in their own
right.

8. M LEARNING AND LANGUAGES:
SET OF RELEVANT VARIABLES
 Language learning requires intensive short
intervals
 Language is learned while interacting with it.
 Learning on-the-go topics relevant to immediate
needs can motivate target audience.
 Using a familiar tool like mobile phones helps
avoid technophobia and fears of failure
 Enhances language learning, which is acquired
in a more efficient way.

9. THE AIMS OF THE RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN BY
THE AUTHORS ARE:
 To utilize technical features of mobile phones
and apply it as a learning platform for MLLLs
and YA
 To utilize knowledge and „attachment‟ YA have
with their mobile phones and transfer it to
MLLLs.
 To gain experience with new learning
opportunities within the community of MLLLs.
 To make contact between MLLLs and YA via
language learning and travel.

10. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE APPLIED RESEARCH
PROJECT
 Create a support partnership of skilled mobile phone users and
less experienced MLLLs.
 Valorise and enhance potential of both groups in teaching and
learning together.
 Create learning community of MLLLs and YA by planning a trip
and learning a language together.
 Plan a trip using online internet travel sites, maps and travel
blogs.
 Language components are acquired and learned via interactive
courses purchased from the app store.
 Developing intercultural awareness via language acquisition
processes and travel plans.
 Close gaps and create new opportunities to enhance and extend
both young people‟s computer skills and MLLLs life experiences.

11. THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS
The project will be divided into two phases:
 Planning a trip online (via mobile phone)
 Learning “travel tips” and phrases from a
course downloaded from the app store.

12. DETAILED STEPS
 Building communication and common interest
between MLLLs and young adults and planning trip
as if they were travelling together. Target groups will
be asked to be aware of any limitations (e.g.
disabilities) as well as fun activities that may interest
both populations (e.g. museums, entertainment.).
 Learning from 6 existing travel courses: English,
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian French and Turkish
(Level A1) - participants choose course according to
country visited.

13. OUTPUTS
 To raise MLLLs‟ self–esteem and motivate them to
engage actively in purposeful behaviour stressing
planning, cognitive skills, interaction and
engagement.
 Prime goal for young adults is studying and practicing
with the MLLLs, utilizing role play, offering necessary
support and guidance and facilitating shared learning
with older learners through joint activity and mutual
interaction.
 MLLLs will have first experience learning via new
technologies and methodologies such as M-learning.

14. THE MOBILE PHONE APPLICATION:
DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTIONALITY
MAIN MENU

15. EXAMPLE OF CHAPTER ACTIVITY – MATCHING
TASK

16. EXAMPLE OF CHAPTER ACTIVITY-PRACTICE
DIALOGUE

17. EXAMPLE OF TOOLS: LEXICON

18. DASHBOARD

19. GLOBAL BUTTONS
 Lexicon button: leads to lexicon search screen or
dictionary
 Dashboard button: leads to dashboard, or user status
screen. The button is dynamic and encapsulates
some information.
 Settings button: leads to settings screen where user
can set some parameters and configurations
 Menu button: Jumps to main menu screen listing
chapters.
 Tip Button: Displays language tips relevant to a
particular task.
 Phrase book: a short list of important phrases.

20. CONCLUSIONS
 Project delivers a model to engage both young and
MLLLs in M-learning: focus on travel and language
learning.
 Throughout process is a focus on social integration,
reinforcement of needs awareness and active
involvement of the two primary groups of beneficiaries
 Both collaboration and personal development are
addressed.
 M-learning: tool that identifies factors that perpetuate
exclusionary practices.
 M-learning will enable both populations to recognize and
understand how attitudes towards age differences,
learning habits, and technology use can change at any
age.

21. THE EU AND DISABILITY ACTION PLAN
 Inclusion and full participation of older and disabled people in
society is a key focus of EU strategy for learning around social
inclusion (2004-2010). Also centrepiece of European Disability
Strategy on improvements in accessibility/independent living.
 EU faced with unprecedented demographic upheaval with major
social repercussions. One in six people in EU (80 m.) prevented
from full social and economic participation by
environmental/attitudinal barriers.
 Over 33% of people aged 75+ have restricting disabilities; 20%
are considerably restricted. These percentages will rise as the EU
population ages.
 This project is designed to facilitate equality of access to
hospitality/tourism services by sharing the learning across
generations

22. THANK YOU!
 abruce@ulsystems.com
 hvital@marathon-group.net