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Pedagogy for Location-Based Mobile Learning at UniSA

Pedagogy on the Go: Roger Edmonds on Turning Phones into Pedagogical Tools

Roger Edmonds
University of South Australia

Introduction

Mobile phones are ubiquitous among young people, so it is natural that teaching and learning are moving into the mobile sphere. Beyond classroom browsing and apps, location-based mobile learning games (LBMLGs) let academics and students step into real-world environments for authentic, context-rich learning experiences. Between 2014 and 2016, the University of South Australia explored both playing and designing LBMLGs to develop a context-based mobile learning framework for higher education. The initiative earned recognition for digital learning excellence and teaching innovation in 2016.

Background

LBMLGs emphasize situational, high-interaction learning by encouraging students to visit locations, adopt new perspectives and interact with learning content through storytelling, multimedia, location-aware features, maps and augmented reality. Adding gamification elements—rules, goals, points, and structured activities—boosts engagement by introducing challenge, competition and motivation. These mechanics enhance on-location social learning, a key ingredient in meaningful educational experiences.

2014–2016: Piloting and Scaling

The first LBMLG pilot ran in 2014 in a core undergraduate business course with more than 400 students. Student feedback was strongly positive, and the game has since been embedded in that course, now reaching over 1,000 students annually.

“The Local Enterprise App is likely to be a key reason for high student satisfaction in Business and Society as it links the course with the mindset of ‘Generation Mobile’. If all courses were as contemporary in linking course content and personal technology it would ensure that students engage at the highest possible level and learn in sustainable ways.”
— Professor Thomas Maak, Professor in Responsible Leadership, University of South Australia

While it is difficult to attribute retention or evaluation outcomes to a single intervention, the clear student satisfaction with the LBMLG justified expanding the approach. University grants supported broader uptake, enabling the team to work with 54 staff and more than 100 students to design and develop over 121 LBMLGs across ten courses in five disciplines: Business, Education, Health, Arts and Science. These games have been played more than 1,700 times.

Our action-research findings from this phase suggest that LBMLGs create authentic learning pathways and enjoyable educational experiences. Playing in real-world settings deepens student immersion in course material and supports meaningful engagement.

Current Practice and 2017 Focus

In 2017 our investigation expanded to address four priorities:

  • Testing the functionality and value of the framework prototype and its resources;
  • Exploring whether students who design LBMLGs gain stronger educational benefits through applied ICT practice;
  • Piloting an evaluation process that includes peer review, reflection and summative assessment for LBMLG designers;
  • Identifying challenges, support needs and opportunities for using LBMLGs in fully online courses.

A fully online third-year course, “Personalised Learning with Digital Technologies,” provided an ideal setting to examine these aims. Sixteen students were tasked with designing LBMLGs at locations of their choice—such as hometowns, parks or cultural institutions—with the intention that school-aged learners would play those games when the university students completed professional experience placements later in the year.

Students were supported with framework resources, virtual workshops and email guidance. Assessment focused on three areas:

  • The game’s design, media integration, narrative structure, location-based tasks and gamification strategies;
  • Peer review of another student’s game using a rubric;
  • A reflective journal discussing the value of LBMLGs for teaching and learning, anticipated benefits for learners, and the challenges and gains of designing a LBMLG.

Although assessment was still underway in May 2017, early evidence showed high creativity and quality in student-designed games. Reflective journals and survey data indicated that designing LBMLGs enhanced communication and collaboration skills, digital literacy, spatial awareness and social competencies. The design process also gave students practical opportunities to develop and apply ICT and online research skills while turning their ideas into mobile learning experiences.

Next Steps

These recent findings give us confidence to continue refining and sharing a common framework and resources to help staff and students plan, create and implement LBMLGs. Our goal is to expand research into pedagogical benefits and best-practice deployment of both playing and designing LBMLGs. Plans include a student-focused international LBMLG challenge to broaden participation and gather comparative data.

Summary

Four years of action-research (2014–2017) indicate that location-based mobile learning games offer an authentic, meaningful and engaging pathway for teaching and learning in higher education. Designing LBMLGs supports the development of ICT skills and online research capabilities as students conceptualize, build and deploy mobile learning experiences. Play and design in real-world contexts strengthen student immersion with course content and open new possibilities for active, context-rich pedagogy.

More information: pedago.online

Biography

Roger Edmonds, BAppSc (Geol), Grad Dip T (Sec), Grad Dip Ed (Ed Comp). Roger Edmonds is an online educational designer at the University of South Australia. He has presented nationally and internationally on location-based mobile learning and co-manages a project to develop a framework for contextually based mobile learning at the university. The project has received recognition for its contribution to digital learning and student experience, and Roger’s earlier projects have also earned industry awards and honours.

References

Edmonds, R.K., & Smith, S. (2016). Location-Based Mobile Learning Games: Motivation for and Engagement with the Learning Process. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning 2016, Sydney.

Wijers, M., Jonker, V., & Drijvers, P. (2010). MobileMath: exploring mathematics outside the classroom. ZDM, 42(7), pp. 789–799. DOI: 10.1007/s11858-010-0276-3