Abstract
With the development of mobile technologies, the mobile phones with a built-in camera has become the most popular and high penetrative technology product, and is regarded as a useful device in the field of mobile learning or life-long learning in recent years. However, it has been a topic worthy of our research on what special considerations and supporting of system implemented on the small-screen phone in the hope to make it an effective tool for life-long learning and access of just-in-time learning. This study aimed to integrate QR Code into mobile learning system, called Cheng Huang Temple Mobile Interactive Tour system (CHTMITs). The features of the CHTMITs include QR Code and map functions, just-in-time learning, and adoption-based design. Hence, the scenario in this study was a temple, and the visitors could immediately explore the environment and make worship through assistance of the system. The purpose of this study was applying the mobile phone, which everyone could afford, to assist the visitors in a limited time. By utilizing the QR Code to transform information representations and a map-guide interface, the visitors got learning information in time, moreover, overcome the difficulty of inputting messages on mobiles phones, and have the multiple choices to access the information. Thirty-eight visitors participated in the study. They, aged from 15 to 30 years old, were at a voluntary base and were enthusiastic and interested in using mobile phone in learning. Besides, two visitors formed a dyad and used one PDA phone to tour in learning activities by CHTMITs. The data of visitors’ acceptance, learning outcome, and touring model were collected and analyzed. The research findings indicate that the users highly positive to the CHTMITs. The system that combined high penetration rate of mobile phones and the adoption-based design helped the users to tour learning instantly. Through the rapid information transformation by QR Code, users could obtain accurate information immediately. Furthermore, a map-guided interface was provided to enable users to do just-in-time learning in the temple. In addition, the users expressed positive attitude towards the touring model, which combined the QR Code recognition function and the map-guide function, provided the advantage in just-in-time learning. The QR Code recognition function features immediacy and convenience in obtaining information. The users could get real-time information by clicking the camera button, and the map-guide function helped them locate their current position and enhance the overall learning fluency. Besides, the users were benefited from the system no matter what prior knowledge they possessed. In addition, using the CHTMITs, users had positive enhancements of learning attitude towards mobile learning and expectation of using mobile tour system again. Eventually, with this system, the temple becomes a life-long learning environment where visitors could pick up valuable knowledge about the traditional culture and history of the temple. In future work, by continuing integration of QR Code encoding process and follow-up cross-platform design, it is anticipated that the high penetration rate of mobile phones could indeed become an effective tool for acquiring information forthwith, and furthermore, it will be associated with the cloud computing technology to form a life-long-learning-community platform.