Presentation for Sheffield Hallam University Learning & Teaching conference 2016 (#SHULT16) about an intervention to add a digital 'layer' to a physical learning space in a Graphic Design studio using Bluetooth Beacons. More information about the project is available at http://beaconprojectblog.wordpress.com

1. Connecting Learning
Communities through
Technology
Kieran McDonald
Dr. Ian Glover
Senior Lecturers in Digital Capability
Learning Enhancement and Academic Development (LEAD)
TASK - Please!!! (If Possible? / If not iPad on desk set up...)
1- Can you download the ‘Physical Web App’ from the iOS or Google Play App Store
2- Install on your device
JOB DONE! FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW

2. Project Background - How did it
happen?
ACES TEF Funding
Graphic Design moving to a new ‘home’ studio in Old Post Office
Opportunity to try something new with the space
Integrate technology into the learning spaces
Opportunity to reconsider practice
Student voice conversations suggested:
More opportunities to share work with peers
Further connection with tutors
Increasing use of digital tools
Additional guidance on software and techniques

3. Developing Learning Communities
The main concept was to develop ‘Digital’ learning zones in the ‘Physical’ studio
space -
Peer community
Inspired by seeing what other students are working on to enhance peer learning (Process)
Tutor community
Seeing where tutors look for inspiration and what attracts them helps to model professional
behaviour, and enables deeper conversation in tutorials (Closeness)
Professional community
Sharing work with, and commenting on work by, external designers helps to model professional
behaviour, and helps raise awareness of student when they start looking for jobs. (Connection)

4. How Did We Zone The Studio?

5. Presentation Zone - Tutor Community
Tutor-curated content
Delivered through Tumblr
Scaffold outside formal
Develop closeness

6. Production Zone - Skill Development
Guidance materials for software and techniques
Video tutorials from Lynda.com
Asynchronous support
Personalised resources

7. Collaboration Zone - Peer Community
Student-curated content (Process / Influence / Iteration)
# Pulled together Instagram content into one central Pinterest board (Existing)
IFTTT automated this curation (Removing Barriers)

8. Evaluation - Feedback from Students
and Staff
Students
‘Increased sense of community among peers’
‘More sources of inspiration from shared resources’
‘Gained a better understanding of their tutors and what it means to be a graphic
designer’
‘Developed further understanding of different workflows and design process’
Staff
‘Change in practice’
‘Looking for new ways to mesh the physical space with a digital layer’

9. Findings
Sense of ‘academic home’ had profound effect on students
Timing and induction into digital tools essentials for ‘Adoption’
Technology was used as a supportive leaver ‘Facilitation’ ‘Automation’ ‘Servant’
Digital offers connection on top of face to face sessions ‘Closeness’ ‘Scaffolding’
Learning Space is an important factor in a positive student learning ‘Community’
Digital suggests possibilities in connecting inside and outside of SHU ‘Borderless
learning’
Removing barriers by using existing platforms was important for manageable
change
Presence of a ‘Digital’ layer is a fine line between awareness and invisibility in the
studio space

10. Situating Online Resources in the
Learning Space
Bluetooth beacons used to link the
physical and virtual spaces
Beacons hidden around the studio
and transmitting every few
seconds
When in a zone, students prompted
with the relevant online resource
on their phone or tablet

11. Bluetooth Beacons
Small device that transmit a signal over Bluetooth
Signal can be a unique ID number, a web address, or both
Signals picked up by app on smart device
Web address can be opened directly
Unique ID causes a specified action within the app (if known ID)
Adjustable transmission range means area that receives a signal can be fine-
tuned
Short-range for very local actions
Long-range for more general actions
Distance from beacon can also be used by apps for deciding what action to take
e.g. display wider contextual info when far from beacon, giving increase detail when closer.

12. http://www.slideshare.net/Kontakt_io/beacons-the-retail-revolution

13. Common Uses for Beacons
Wayfinding
Providing online information about a physical object
Personalised information based on who, when and where
sharing lecture notes with a student when they are in the lecture theatre
Sharing information about a location
Showcasing in public informal areas
virtual gallery of work from across the university for people to access in cafes
staff broadcasting their online academic profile as they move around the university or on open
days
Targeting information to specific people or places
rerouting people around bottlenecks at busy times or reminding students of an imminent deadline
as they leave the campus

14. Beacons in this Project
Beacons useful ‘hook’ to engage then faded into background
Students & Staff identified opportunities for further usage:
‘Micro-location’ - very fine-grained control over releasing information within spaces
‘Timely Information’ - information that is immediately relevant to a person, time and place
‘Showcasing’ - digital space to share and critique work with peers
Some students expressed interest in using beacons in their own work

15. Activities
Using either your own device or one of the iPads, try out the Physical Web app and
have a look at the online resources.
1. Access the content in the ‘Presentation’ zone
2. Find out about the alternative ‘App-based’ approach to using beacons in the
‘Production’ zone.
3. Share ideas on how you might use beacons in the ‘Collaboration’ zone

16. Want to Discuss Further?
Project received a Google Internet of Things Research award
Our project used 3 beacons,
and Google have recently sent us…. 200!
So, if you want to discuss how you might be able to use beacons in your practice,
let us know:
Ian Glover (i.glover@shu.ac.uk)
Kieran McDonald (k.mcdonald@shu.ac.uk)