iPod for field visits to places of worship Religions in Wolverhampton Linked webfolio

iPod Tours Religions in Wolverhampton Budd Buddha Vihara ha Vihara Central Mosque Durga Mandir Collegiate Church LDS Chapel

eLearning and Field visits Religions in Wolverhampton Students Local Religious communities Technology

eLearning Experiential encounter with religion through a synchronic and diachronic study of religious communities. Grimmitt (2000) Reality of lived experiences accessed through ethnographic and personal accounts of religious life (Jackson, 1997) Key to integration of technology= to carefully modify the curriculum to include specific technology appropriate activities. (Grandgenett et al 1997, 254) Control: Provide the information in such a fashion that students feel they have some control over the way they learn. (Mudge, 1999,15) Religions in Wolverhampton

The Collegiate Church of St. Peter. Wolverhampton Central Mosque Wolverhampton Buddha Vihara iPod tours for places of worship HEAT 3 Project Welcome to the tour of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Wolverhampton Map for Tour# No. 1. Lady Wulfruna No. 2. The Saxon Pillar No. 3. The Nave No. 4. The Font No. 5. The Stone Pulpit No. 6. The Lady Chapel No. 7. The Chancel No. 8. The War Memorial Chapel Lady Wulfruna This is the statue of Lady Wulfruna, believed to be the granddaughter of King Ethelred 1 and Queen Ethelred, the daughter of Alfred the Great. The first recorded reference of her is found in 943 C.E. when she was a prisoner of the Danes at Tamworth. In 985 C.E. Ethelred the 2nd granted her 10 hides of land (approx. 30 acres) at Heatune (Hightower). Lotus Position The statues and image you may see around the Vihara usually depict Buddha sitting cross-legged, with the feet placed on opposite thighs. This position is called the Lotus position and is believed to aid the meditation and breathing of the practitioner as well as stability. This position originated with the Hindu Yoga tradition, and famous Hindu depictions reflect this. The God Shiva is often seen sitting in this position and it is called Lotus as it resembles the Lotus Flower. Buddha Vihara Wolverhampton The Vihara, which follows the Theravada tradition of Buddhism was built on 14 April 1991 by Dr BR Ambedkar's followers. After his conversion and the mass conversion, some of these Buddhist converts settled in Wolverhampton and established this Buddhist centre. In 2000, a separate community centre, consisting of a large hall, stage and gallery, was added to the Buddha Vihara. It is the first community centre built outside of India and is available for meetings, seminars, and conferences. As Part of my second semester module 'Independent Study', I was asked to create a tour of the Wolverhampton Central Mosque looking in detail at specific features of the Mosque on an iPod touch. However, as this was of a collaborative nature, my task involved me to create such a tour which would allow students who would be working in pairs to share information about what they have learned at the end of the tour. The Mihrab is most important element in any mosque, as this niche indicates the direction of Macca and functions as the focal point in prayer. This is also the place where the Imam leads prayer from, with his head and shoulders being placed in the niche during prostration. The arch shape of the Mihrab is important as it represents a path or doorway to Macca. Mihrabs can vary in size, colour and materials used. The advantage of conducting this tour on an iPod for people with disabilities ensured that they do not miss out on the tour. The iPod allows to stop and pause the tour at your own pace and does not rush the user to read the information. Students were table to take their time in reading the information and sharing what they have learnt when visiting each feature. iPod tour was a success. The tour was greatly enhanced by the technology and this imaginative learning experience was enjoyed by those students present and would be useful for students with hearing disabilities and other learning disabilities All of the students felt that the audio tour was a good way to deliver the information. Several commented that it allowed them to look around the vihara and concentrate on the images there whilst being 'fed' the information rather than having to read it. Also several commented that they liked that there was a picture matching the place in the vihara that they were standing. Although students were very positive about the benefits of a virtual tour, they agreed it would be useful to have a member of the community there to answer questions. School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences: Religious Studies Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Critical Interventions for Enhanced Learning (CIEL) IPods certainly helped the person to learn at their own pace by taking their own time around the tour. This flexibility helped to create a relaxing atmosphere… There was only one voice used through out, one way this could have been improved was to use at least another voice or maybe two to add variety. However it was good to have a local accent explaining the church as it makes the tour a bit more authentic. LDS C HAPEL W EDNESFIELD Worship Nursery Young women Cultural hall Baptism Priesthoo d Young men Relief/ Women Primary

Collegiate Church of St Peter (Visual) Aims: To develop a tour with visual Links between features and text. Research: -Historical research -Technological -Pedagogical Findings: -Supported people with disabilities - can stop or pause the tour - can go at your own pace - does not rush the user to read the information. Religions in Wolverhampton

No. 1. Lady Wulfruna No. 2. The Saxon Pillar No. 3. The Nave No. 4. The Font No. 5. The Stone Pulpit No. 6. The Lady Chapel No. 7. The Chancel No. 8. The War Memorial The Collegiate Church of St. Peter Lady Wulfruna Saxon Pillar The Nave The Font Stone Pulpit Lady Chapel The Chancel War Memorial What are the key features of this church? Yvonne Johnson

Buddha Vihara (Audio) Choice of place of worship Aim of tour: Audio and approach taken Prior research and e-learning information Feedback from tour Evaluation and problems encountered How can the tour be improved and changed in its approach More feedback needed Religions in Wolverhampton

Buddha Vihara Wolverhampton Start 2 3/ Clare Walker Why do Buddhists use the lotus flower? Who was Dr Ambedkar?

Latter-Day Saints Chapel (Sign Language) Aims: - To provide a tour with sign language Research: -The use of iPods in assisting people who are hearing impaired - How I researched the Latter-day Saints - How I put it all together Findings: -Could learn at their own pace -helped to create a relaxing atmosphere - local accent explaining the church as it makes the tour more authentic. Religions in Wolverhampton

Baptism Worship Priesthood Relief/ Women Young women Primary Nursery Young Men Cultural hall Use the iPods to find out the activities for each place. Brian Barber LDS CHAPEL, WEDNESFIELD

Central Mosque (Collaborative) Aims: -To develop a collaborative package Research: -About the mosque - technology Findings: -tour was greatly enhanced by the technology - students enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate Religions in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Central Mosque Salam Use the iPods to explore internal and external features of the mosque. Preparation Wudu Prayer Salat Setting for worship Aamir Nore The Dome The minaret The minbar The mihrab

Shree Durga Mandir Three first year students developed their own iPod tour. -iPods cannot take the place of the person showing you round -developed a blended approach -introduced each section, covered pronunciations -then left the group to read more about topics. Religions in Wolverhampton

Shree Durga Mandir Durga Mata, is the mother Goddess in Hinduism, known for her benevolence and fierceness. She represents the endless power of the universe and is a symbol of female dynamism. (She is also known as Parvati, Ambika and Kali.) Religions in Wolverhampton

Activity options 1.St Peters Collegiate Church 2.Buddha Vihara 3.Central Mosque 4.Latter-Day Saints 20 mins to explore the iPod tour, identify good points and consider developments. Religions in Wolverhampton Now its your go

eLearning and Field visits Discussion Issues raised in groups Religions in Wolverhampton

eLearning and Field visits Conclusions 1.iPods positive contributions: -Individual / personalised - audio support -Collaborative learning 2. Challenges -Technological -Pedagogical Religions in Wolverhampton