Handbook of Design in Educational Technology

27 The Convergence of Informal Learning and Formal Education in a Ubiquitous Environment

Heeok Heo, Il-Hyun Jo, Kyu Yon Lim, Hyeon Woo Lee and Soonshik Suh

1. Introduction

Technological advances such as mobile devices, context-aware computing and handheld personal organizers provide educators with opportunities and challenges to enhance teaching and learning, as Mark Weiser already proposed in the early 1990s. He envisioned the world of ubiquitous computing, where computers are available unobtrusively and invisibly to users throughout the physical environment (Weiser, 1993). When technologies become pervasive and connected with wireless networks, information will be accessible anytime anywhere, suggesting new paradigms of interaction inspired ...