Zwei Beiträge auf der "9th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation" (ICERI 2016)

Die Professur für Anwendungssysteme und E-Business ist mit zwei Beiträgen auf der "9th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation" vertreten. Jasmin Decker präsentiert den Beitrag "Micro and mobile learning in enterprises - potentials and integration into existing e-learning and blended learning concepts". Darin werden Integrationspotenziale von Mobile Learning und Micro Learning in bestehende Lernkonzepte untersucht. Im zweiten Beitrag "Learning procedural knowledge using augmented reality applications on smart glasses - Requirements and conceptual design" stellt Sebastian Hobert Anforderungen mitsamt einem konzeptionellen Design an eine Augmented Reality Anwendung für Datenbrillen vor.

Micro and mobile learning in enterprises - potentials and integration into existing e-learning and blended learning concepts

Abstract:

As a consequence of the increasing knowledge and technology intensive activities within enterprises, a need for workplace learning arises. Therefore, the employees need knowledge and learning units that can be accessed and processed easily at the workplace and consumed quickly. In addition, the increasing mobility of work requires greater time and location independent knowledge transfer. This can be supported by the use of mobile devices, which are increasingly available within enterprises.
Modern learning concepts, such as micro and mobile learning, are one possibility for enterprises to offer their employees more flexible education and training opportunities. Micro learning allows workintegrated-learning, as small learning units (micro content) can be consumed directly at the workplace and only with short-term interruptions of the actual working process. Furthermore, the learning nuggets can be used in idle or non-productive times. In addition, micro content can be displayed on mobile devices to promote the flexibility of learning by enabling time and location independent learning. Using the technical capabilities of these devices (e.g. build-in sensors to localize the learner and adapt the learning content to the surrounding context) situated learning on the job or learning on demand can be supported.
However, prior research on micro and mobile learning is limited on specific application scenarios in the business context, especially use cases for mobile workers. Studies on how these new learning concepts are applied in practice and integrated into existing learning concepts are missing. Thus, the main goal of this paper is to examine, how companies are already using these learning concepts and to identify application scenarios. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative, explorative study by interviewing ten human resource experts. Based on this, we derived application scenarios and potentials how micro and mobile learning can be used to train and support employees and how they can be integrated into existing e-learning and blended learning concepts.
All interviewed companies? use classroom trainings and eight enterprises are already using e-learning to train their employees. E-learning is offered in addition to classroom trainings as further training possibility or integrated into a blended learning concept. The results of the interviews show that mobile and micro learning are barely used in the companies. In addition to (potential) application scenarios of micro and mobile learning, also reasons were identified, why the new learning concepts have not been used (e.g. lack of mobile devices within the organizations). However, the experts recognized the potentials and described possible application scenarios (e.g. preparation and post processing of classroom trainings, supporting employees in working processes). According to the experts, mobile micro learning can help to combine working and learning and is one possibility to provide selfregulated, individual learning. With mobile micro learning, employees can access relevant learning content in situations they need it, so that learning on demand becomes possible. This can lead to higher flexibility for employees and higher motivation to learn.
The identified application scenarios and potentials can be used as a basis for further research and for practitioners as a starting point for introducing and integrating the new learning concepts within their company.

Quellenangabe:

Decker, J., Schulte, B., Schumann, M.: Micro and mobile learning in enterprises - Potentials and integration into existing e-learning and blended learning concepts, in: Proceedings of ICERI2016 Conference, Sevilla, Spain, 2016, S. 6210-6220.
Link zum Beitrag

Learning procedural knowledge using augmented reality applications on smart glasses - requirements and conceptual design

Abstract:

Highly skilled employees who are able to apply their procedural knowledge at the workplace are important for many enterprises as the number of knowledge and technology intensive activities increases. Thus, many enterprises undertake efforts to train their employees properly: For instance, in many industrial enterprises newly hired employees need to train practical tasks - like operating or repairing a production machine - as part of their incorporation into the job. Such learning scenarios usually take place directly at the workplace in a situational learning context (e.g. in the production hall) and hence the learning content is directly linked to the learners' location. This has the advantage that learners are able to extend their knowledge at their current location when they require it.

One emerging technology which is able to support such situational learning scenarios is augmented reality. As augmented reality allows linking real world objects (like machines) with learning content, it is suited for imparting procedural knowledge. This is especially true if augmented reality is provided by smart glasses, i.e. small computers which are worn on the user's head. These head-mounted wearable computers are suited for situated learning on-the-job as these devices are able to present learning content to learners on a head-mounted display while they are executing practical tasks. In this way, smart glasses are able to guide learners step-by-step through tasks within working processes. In contrast to other technologies like smartphones or tablets, smart glasses have the advantage that they can be used simultaneously while learners perform tasks.

Even though prior research on using augmented reality on smart glasses for learning procedural tasks is limited, experts anticipate that the technology can enhance learning processes in enterprises massively. Thus, the main goal of our paper is to analyze how augmented reality learning applications for smart glasses are able to support learners while practicing procedural tasks. Therefore, we conducted qualitative, explorative interviews with 21 domain experts from industrial enterprises and analyzed existing literature. Based on this, we derived requirements in order to describe which functionalities need to be provided by augmented reality learning applications and how learning content should look like in order to support learners effectively. Furthermore, we present a conceptual design including mockups to outline how an application should be implemented.

The results of our study - the identified requirements which describe functionalities and the structure of learning content as well as the conceptual design - can be used by both, practitioners and researchers: Practitioners get insights about advantages and potential learning scenarios of using augmented reality applications on smart glasses for imparting procedural knowledge. Researchers can use the identified requirements and the conceptual design as a basis for developing augmented reality learning applications.

Quellenangabe:

Hobert, S., Schumann, M.: Learning procedural knowledge using augmented reality applications on smart glasses - Requirements and conceptual design, in: ICERI2016 Proceedings, Sevilla, Spain, 2016, S. 6382-6392.
Link zum Beitrag