Technology, participation and bodily interaction in nature: The potential of mobile technology in situated learning.

In this paper, we discuss the intersection between situated experiences, mobile technology and children’s participatory practices as part of a didactic setting that aims to recruit children to experiences with nature. With a transdisciplinary approach (media study, studies in children’s culture, educational neuroscience, educational anthropology), we base our analysis and discussion on a Danish app, Tidslommen. The app is developed by Museum Vestsjælland, a cooperation between natural history museums in Denmark, as a communication and entertainment tool for both families and schools with focus on children between 10 and 12 years. Tidslommen contains both audio and video guides and augmented reality with game elements, which can be activated when present on a specific geographical spot. Our study shows that using mobile technology encourages both the interaction between peers and the moving around in the surroundings. The app allows for a more individualized experience characterized by a more play oriented approach to the location.