Technology for Learning across Physical and Virtual Spaces

Learning is a process that happens at moments and in spaces that go beyond those typically defined by formal educational institutions. In fact, it is widely recognized that learners' physical and social interactions with the " real world " , outside the traditional classroom, cannot be neglected when promoting the acquisition of certain skills [Bruce 08]. For example, and within the context of formal education, a visit to a museum could be used for complementing in-classroom learning with situated activities in the " real world ". Additionally, certain current types of widely adopted learning technology such as Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), or 3D Virtual Worlds (3DVWs), to name a few, have promoted new types of " virtual spaces " for learning (in contrast to the " physical space " of the traditional classroom). These " virtual spaces " provide significant affordances in terms of, e.g., remote interaction and digital content access and distribution, and may also complement and enhance traditional in-classroom learning. How to effectively support the linking, the mutual influence, and the transitions among learning activities happening, even simultaneously, in different spaces (e.g. virtual vs. physical, classroom vs. " real world ") has been for a long time a significant topic of research within the field of technology-enhanced learning [Sharples and Roschelle 10]. RFID, geo-positioning, QR codes, Augmented Reality (AR), and Immersive Virtual Worlds are examples of researched technologies that make " across spaces learning " feasible [Dunleavy et al. 08]; [Klopfer et al. 11]; [Pérez-Sanagustín et al. 11]. Additionally, the current landscape of portable computing devices (smart phones, tablets, …), as well as the pervasive Internet connectivity, have definitively paved the way for the widespread availability of those across spaces enabling technologies in authentic learning settings.