There is sufficient evidence to suggest that both the persistence and
the quality of learning are highly enhanced when the potential learner is
actively participating in the learning process [S. Papert, 1994, M. Resnick,
1993]. Science Centers (SC) adopt this philosophy by offering intriguing
exhibits that enable their visitors to experience science first hand by
actively manipulating the experiments, thus delivering natural ways of active
playful learning. Modern technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) are often
used to enrich the experience and display otherwise hidden phenomena. However,
experiencing mixed reality requires visiting the SC.
The SCeTGo approach goes one step further and aims to bring similar comprehensive
learning experiences out of the SC into a school's classroom and/or everyone's
home. Its miniature exhibits - by "fitting into a pocket" and
operating with ordinary hardware - enable learners to experiment whenever
and wherever they please. This way the consortium makes full use of the
powerful capabilities offered by tailor-made exhibits combined with AR.
The SCeTGo project builds upon the work performed in the very successful
project, CONNECT (www.ea.gr/ep/connect) where an AR system was developed,
extensively tested and evaluated in science centres in UK, Sweden, Greece
and Finland with school students.
In the framework of SCeTGo the consortium
aims to: |
a) |
develop a series of miniature exhibits that will illustrate
various physical phenomena enabling learners to visualize the invisible
through AR technology |
b) |
develop a pedagogical framework that attempts to blend
informal and formal learning and to situate learning in real- world
contexts |
c) |
develop advanced pedagogical scenarios that are shaped
around a mission guided by a general scientific question |
d) |
pilot, to validate and to demonstrate the SCeTGo approach
in formal & informal educational environments |
e) |
facilitate lifelong learning and to improve quality
of learning |
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