Going in Depth With Technology-Enhanced Institutional Informal Learning: A Systematic Review (Poster 2)

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Abstract

With increasing technology-facilitated engagement by individuals and increasing institutional access to high-engagement technologies, informal learning solutions are particularly needed which can foster deep (i.e. constructive and/or interactive) learning (Chi et al., 2014) in technology-enhanced experiences.

Theoretical Background
Chi and Wylie (2014) proposed the ICAP framework to capture different levels of students' cognitive engagement. While the ICAP framework of cognitive engagement has traditionally been used in formal settings, Ha et al. (2021) demonstrated the applicability of ICAP for informal learning. In this review we examine institutional informal learning research between 2012 and 2022 that involves deep learning and is technologically-enhanced to understand the current state of research and identify gaps related to learning design, measurement or outcomes.

Methods and Data
Focusing on Web of Science and ProQuest, we collected 181 potentially relevant studies, removed 4 duplicates, and then excluded 96 studies, resulting in 79 studies for full-text review following PRISMA guidelines (Moher et al., 2009).

Results
Many studies (n=47) fulfilled the criteria of involving learning depth, and we observed broadly that mixed reality (XR) is the most frequent type of technology employed in institutional informal learning targeting deep learning, and institutions involved in research span on-site museums, virtual museums, heritage culture sites, libraries, and after-school programs. However, we found that the interactive or constructive components of the informal learning taking place is not always measured directly. From this finding we make 2 assertions: (1) social interactivity is prominent in technology-enhanced informal learning research—though it may not be the original goal of the researchers—and (2) researchers should include measurement of outcomes related to social interactivity, whether through questionnaires or observation.

Significance
The results of our systematic review have particular implications for practice concerning social interactivity. First, the prominence of interactive affordances in technology-enhanced informal learning reveals that collaborative learning happens in many contexts, even if researchers are not primarily targeting interaction with their intervention. We also observed interactivity through a virtual agent, suggesting that this interaction need not be limited to human interaction. Much of the aforementioned social interaction in research between 2012-2022 was not measured directly, however, so future research measuring these outcomes is needed. Finally, this review’s contributions to the understanding of deeper learning and higher engagement in informal learning environments may also pertain to transfer from informal learning to formal learning, and we suggest that designers of learning experiences in non-institutional contexts as well consider exploring social interactivity where feasible and relevant. Measuring social interactivity, with human or non-human agents, is an essential next step to understand the affordances of these technologies, how they relate to learning outcomes, and what their application potential means for the field of institutional informal learning as a whole.

Authors

• Luke West, Florida State University

• Shiyao Wei, Florida State University