Using Webquests in a Museum-based Multiliteracies Dynamic Learning Intervention: Ubiquitous Learning Made Possible?

Abstract

Today’s emerging technological achievements seem to be moving towards the realization of ubiquitous learning as described by Weiser (1991). Nevertheless, ubiquitous learning is not preconceived or a priori; the number of possibilities offered by such learning can only happen through strategies and practices that re-conceptualize the content, processes and human relationships of teaching and learning. Bearing the previous in mind, the aim of this paper is to report on the findings from a doctoral thesis on students’ multimodal experiences resulting from engagement in the creation of a student-generated virtual museum. Drawing from the literature, analysis and evaluation of the qualitative research methodology this paper addresses how engagement with an online educational tool such as WebQuests impacts upon pupils’ multimodal awareness, and its potentials to support ubiquitous learning. To facilitate understanding a learning framework based on multimodal literacies, the theory of communities of practice and museum based pedagogy is presented in brief. Following this, the findings of the intervention are discussed in the context of the case study undertaken with a group of primary aged students to determine the extent to which the intrinsic characteristics of ubiquitous learning could be served by the affordances of the WebQuest method within the learning framework implemented.