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Q3 MOSH BUS - MOBILE DLE

Describing a 24 day journey on a 24 seater bus with 20 Yr 9 students and 4 adults from Northern NSW to Darwin and back, as a Mobile Distributed Learning Environment could be a "reconstruction error". (thanks sallyd) A reconstruction error being when we fill in the gaps of our understanding with logical, though incorrect thoughts.

However I would prefer to call it the gathering of existing ideas and the application of reflection to create/construct part of an eclectic piece of work. The Darwin adventure's Mosh Bus - Mobile DLE taught me a lot about teenagers (inc. that they are always hungry), how to use a mobile phone and what an incredibley vast country Australia is.

For the kids it was a lot more corporal than hanging out in 'MySpace', a virtual online meeting place. The bus became the Yr 9's space, adults were relegated to the front seats. I pods were plugged into the bus stereo system, mobile phones activated at every town we drove through or stopped at. Internet Cafes at towns were another possibility. That's as virtual as we got.

The bus was a safe retreat when the physical demands of the geography were too overwhelming. Or a place to sit during those interminable waits for everyone to ready.

It was very socially interactive, people had to make room for each other, make compromises, peck away, assert their needs etc. It was uncomfortable and went through varying stages of mess, rough, lost items and reserved seating. Nobody could not participate, everyone was engaged somehow. A sense of humour essential.

Sleeping under the stars in our swags - the night sky was our space and the swag the only personal space left.


Urban Highlights
Darwin's Supreme Courthouse - a very informative tour.

An exhibition of Insider Art from the Darwin jail with the art facilitator and curator being there by chance.

An open air free concert, part of the annual Darwin Festival,
being in an environment where aboriginals were the dominant presence.

Country Highlights

The view at Kakadu

Longreach Rodeo

Swimming in amazing water places

FOLLOW this link to a Class 9 - 3wk Mechanics Course



Does a Distributed Learning Environment
have to include ONLINE
or do we have an OFFLINE definition ?

VIRTUAL vs PHYSICAL