Towards a framework for seamless learning environments

As mobile devices and network access become more pervasively available, researchers are becoming interested in seamless learning environments (SLE) that bridge informal and formal learning. Learners are engaged in learning while moving across different physical and social spaces mediated by technology in a SLE. Researchers face theoretical and methodological issues in understanding seamless learning and designing seamless learning environments. Based upon our work in designing a learning environment using mobile devices and online portal for environmental education and inquiry-based science learning, we identified several components of seamless learning environments: Community, Space, Time, and Context, Cognitive Tools, and Artifacts, Using the components, we propose a framework built upon the theory of Distributed Cognition for seamless learning.