What's new

This study explored the design of mobile learning that combined EOTC, heutagogy (self-determined learning) and free-choice learning to build marine ecological literacy. It was based on a bring-your-own-device mixed reality (XR) intervention at a marine educational centre in Aotearoa New Zealand. The findings indicate that XR features can help learners understand complex marine conservation science and can support ecological literacy knowledge, attitudes and behaviour change. The authors discuss implications for rethinking EOTC pedagogy, designing XR for environmental education, and how learning happens in real-to-virtual immersive environments.

Why it matters in Aotearoa

It describes digital tools being used to support EOTC learning about complex conservation issues at a New Zealand marine education centre, which may interest providers and schools working with marine settings.

Putting it into practice

Providers who already use mobile devices on site could trial a short, self-directed digital activity that helps students visualise a complex conservation issue, and pair it with direct sensory experience of the place.

How strong is the evidence

The abstract does not describe the sample, data collection methods or how changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviour were measured, so the strength of these findings is hard to judge.

What to read

The sections on design considerations and the implications for EOTC pedagogy.

Who it's for