Fieldfriend: A Smartphone App for Mobile Learning in the Field

Abstract

In this paper, we describe the context, design and implementation of the Fieldfriend smartphone app for iterative and experiential field-based learning for first-year undergraduate Environments students at the University of Melbourne. Developed for Apple iOS mobile devices, Fieldfriend leverages upon current smartphone technology and ubiquitous mobile networks to afford, scaffolded and situated, field-based learning for novice learners that enables location-based self-guided learning, user-generated multimodal learning artifact generation and flexible re-use of digital content for learning. The Fieldfriend website and database enable flexible design of learning trails, assessment of students’ progress, data security and sharing of user-generated content. We demonstrate how Fieldfriend was used to support learning about the earth’s natural systems and processes in the Natural Environments subject. Because of the Google Maps spatial interface and smartphone GPS-enabled location services, and web-based design environment, Fieldfriend can be flexibly contextualized and designed for a wide range of mobile learning scenarios and requirements in different localities around the globe.