1. Evaluating Mobile LearningMLearn08 Workshop 07/10/08 G. Vavoula (gv18@le.ac.uk) 1/61/6 Define Role of Participants & Address Ethics Giasemi Vavoula University of Leicester

2. Evaluating Mobile LearningMLearn08 Workshop 07/10/08 G. Vavoula (gv18@le.ac.uk) 2/62/6 Issues in data collection Isolate a distinct, time-bound learning experience in the flow of everyday life  Dolphin effect Learning interactions may be inaccessible, obscured, or overlooked – even by learners themselves Learning crosses boundaries:  Formal – informal  Private – public  Study – leasure Capturing learning challenging:  Need to shadow learner and cross contexts  Need to respect ‘local cultures’ Solution: Involve learners in data collection

3. Evaluating Mobile LearningMLearn08 Workshop 07/10/08 G. Vavoula (gv18@le.ac.uk) 3/63/6 Participants as Researchers Automatic logging of interactions with technology  System logs enabled on personal device Carrying or wearing data-capture equipment  Wear mobile eye-trackers, camcorders, carry microphones Manually record learning experience  Keep diaries, blogging effort

4. Evaluating Mobile LearningMLearn08 Workshop 07/10/08 G. Vavoula (gv18@le.ac.uk) 4/64/6 Participants as Researchers Benefits  Learners are always at the site of learning  Learners have access to and are possibly familiar with the context  Learners are arguably more likely to know whether and what they have learned than anyone else Issues  Keeping them on-board Offer something back (e.g. diaries and blogs they can use as self-reflection prompts; artifacts produced are for them to keep; research findings are put at their disposal)  Ensuring quality Research training required  Ethics

5. Evaluating Mobile LearningMLearn08 Workshop 07/10/08 G. Vavoula (gv18@le.ac.uk) 5/65/6 Mobile Learning Research Ethics Mobile technology translates (most often) to personal technology  Are learners willing to be monitored? How much of their privacy will they unveil? What if they’re under-age?  Is it OK to monitor everything? How much do we really need to know?  Even if they agree, is it easy to safeguard personal data? What are best dissemination practices?  Will users cooperate in practice? E.g. synchronise as and when needed? Informed consent  Can we really inform accurately?  Can they really consent unreservedly?  How do we deal with late withdrawals? Ethical mobile learning practice  Participants as co-researchers

6. Evaluating Mobile LearningMLearn08 Workshop 07/10/08 G. Vavoula (gv18@le.ac.uk) 6/66/6 Points to take away… Consider whether to involve participants as researchers Decide their level of involvement Build research partnership Conduct research ethically Train participant-researchers  In data collection  In research ethics