Seamless Mobile Learning: Possibilities and Challenges Arising from the Singapore Experience

The purposes of the present study are to describe the design of mobile learning scenarios based on learning sciences theories, and to discuss implications for the future research in this area. To move beyond mere speculations about the abundant possibilities of mobile learning and to make real impact in K-12 school settings, it is critical to conduct school-based research grounded on the learning sciences theories. Towards this end, this paper describes school-based mobile learning projects conducted by a research team at the Learning Sciences Lab in Singapore, and then discusses the possibilities and challenges of mobile learning to further inform future research. Specifically, this paper explores the affordances of mobile technology, such as portability, connectivity and context-sensitivity, to design seamless learning scenarios that bridge formal and informal learning experiences. The authors present a framework for re-conceptualizing different types of learning based on physical settings and intentionality, and then describe two seamless learning scenarios, namely 3Rs and Chinatown Trail, which were implemented in one primary school in Singapore. In conclusion, the authors discuss the affordances of seamless mobile learning for enhancing one's lived experiences to build a living ecological relationship between the person and the environment, and how mobile technology can play a critical role for enabling such lived experiences.