iPod for field visits to places of worship

Religions in Wolverhampton

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iPod Tours

Religions in Wolverhampton

Budd

Buddha Vihara

ha Vihara

Central Mosque

Durga Mandir

Collegiate Church

LDS Chapel

eLearning and Field visitsReligions in Wolverhampton

Students

Local Religious communities Technology

eLearningExperiential encounter with religion through a synchronic and diachronic study of religious communities. Grimmitt (2000) Reality of lived experiences accessed through ‘ethnographic and personal accounts of religious life’ (Jackson, 1997)Key to integration of technology= “to carefully modify the curriculum to include specific technology appropriate activities.” (Grandgenett et al 1997, 254) Control: “Provide the information in such a fashion that students feel they have some control over the way they learn.” (Mudge, 1999,15)

Religions in Wolverhampton

The Collegiate Church of St. Peter.

Wolverhampton Central Mosque

Wolverhampton Buddha Vihara

iPod toursfor places of

worshipHEAT 3 Project Welcome to the tour

of the Collegiate Church of St. Peter,

Wolverhampton

Map for Tour#No. 1. Lady WulfrunaNo. 2. The Saxon PillarNo. 3. The NaveNo. 4. The FontNo. 5. The Stone PulpitNo. 6. The Lady ChapelNo. 7. The ChancelNo. 8. The War Memorial Chapel

Lady Wulfruna This is the statue of Lady Wulfruna, believed to be the granddaughter of King Ethelred 1 and Queen Ethelred, the daughter of Alfred the Great. The first recorded reference of her is found in 943 C.E. when she was a prisoner of the Danes

at Tamworth. In 985 C.E. Ethelred the 2nd granted her 10 hides of land (approx. 30 acres) at Heatune (Hightower).

Lotus Position The statues and image you may see around the Vihara usually depict Buddha sitting cross-legged, with the feet placed on opposite thighs. This position is called the Lotus position and is believed to aid the meditation and breathing of the practitioner as well as stability. This position originated with the Hindu Yoga tradition, and famous Hindu depictions reflect this. The God Shiva is often seen sitting in this position and it is called Lotus as it resembles the Lotus Flower.

Buddha Vihara Wolverhampton The Vihara, which follows the Theravada tradition of Buddhism was built on 14 April 1991 by Dr BR Ambedkar's followers. After his conversion and the mass conversion, some of these Buddhist converts settled in Wolverhampton and established this Buddhist centre. In 2000, a separate community centre, consisting of a large hall, stage and gallery, was added to the Buddha Vihara. It is the first community centre built outside of India and is available for meetings, seminars, and conferences.

As Part of my second semester module 'Independent Study', I was asked to create a tour of the Wolverhampton Central Mosque looking in detail at

specific features of the Mosque on an iPod touch. However, as

this was of a collaborative nature, my task involved me to create such a tour which would allow students who would be

working in pairs to share information about what they

have learned at the end of the tour.

The ‘Mihrab’ is most important element in any mosque, as this niche indicates the direction of Macca and functions as the focal point in prayer. This is also the place where the Imam leads prayer from, with his head and shoulders being placed in the niche during prostration.The arch shape of the Mihrab is important as it represents a path or doorway to Macca. Mihrabs can vary in size, colour and materials used.

The advantage of conducting this

tour on an iPod for people with disabilities

ensured that they do not miss out on the tour. The iPod allows to stop and pause the tour at

your own pace and does not rush the user to read the information. Students were

table to take their time in reading the information

and sharing what they have learnt

when visiting each feature.

iPod tour was a success. The tour was greatly enhanced by the technology and this imaginative learning experience was enjoyed by those students present and would be useful for students with hearing disabilities and other learning disabilities

All of the students felt that the audio tour was a good way to deliver the information. Several commented that it allowed them to look around the vihara and concentrate on the images there whilst being 'fed' the information rather than having to read it. Also several commented that they liked that there was a picture matching the place in the vihara that they were standing. Although students were very positive about the benefits of a ‘virtual’ tour, they agreed it would be useful to have a member of the community there to answer questions.

School of Humanities, Languages

and Social Sciences: Religious Studies

Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning: Critical Interventions for Enhanced Learning (CIEL)

IPods certainly helped the person to learn at their own pace by taking their own time around the tour. This flexibility helped to create a relaxing atmosphere…There was only one voice used through out, one way this could have been improved was to use at least another voice or maybe two to add variety. However it was good to have a local accent explaining the church as it makes the tour a bit more authentic.

LDS CHAPEL WEDNESFIELD

Worship

Nursery

Young women

Cultural hallBaptism

Priesthood

Young men

Relief/ Women

Primary

Collegiate Church of St Peter (Visual)

Aims:To develop a tour with visualLinks between features and text.

Research:-Historical research-Technological -Pedagogical

Findings: -Supported people with disabilities- can stop or pause the tour - can go at your own pace- does not rush the user to read the information.

Religions in Wolverhampton

No. 1. Lady WulfrunaNo. 2. The Saxon PillarNo. 3. The NaveNo. 4. The FontNo. 5. The Stone PulpitNo. 6. The Lady ChapelNo. 7. The ChancelNo. 8. The War Memorial

The Collegiate Church of St. Peter

Lady Wulfruna

Saxon Pillar

The Nave The Font

Stone Pulpit

Lady Chapel

The Chancel

War Memorial

What are the key features of this

church?

Yvonne Johnson

Buddha Vihara (Audio)Choice of place of worship Aim of tour: Audio and approach takenPrior research and e-learning information

Feedback from tour

Evaluation and problems encountered

How can the tour be improved and changed in its approach

More feedback needed

Religions in Wolverhampton

Buddha Vihara Wolverhampton

Start

2

3/54

3

67

8

9

10

11

12 13

14

1

Clare Walker

Why do Buddhists

use the lotus flower?

Who was Dr

Ambedkar?

Latter-Day Saints Chapel(Sign Language)

Aims:- To provide a tour with sign language

Research: -The use of iPods in assisting people who are hearing impaired- How I researched the Latter-day Saints- How I put it all together

Findings:-Could learn at their own pace-helped to create a relaxing atmosphere- local accent explaining the church as it makes the tour more authentic.

Religions in Wolverhampton

Baptism

Worship

Priesthood

Relief/ Women

Young women

Primary

Nursery

Young Men

Cultural hall

Use the iPods to find out the activities for each place.

Brian Barber

LDS CHAPEL, WEDNESFIELD

Central Mosque(Collaborative)

Aims:-To develop a collaborative package

Research: -About the mosque- technology

Findings:-tour was greatly enhanced by the technology - students enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate

Religions in Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton Central Mosque

SalamUse the iPods to explore

internal and external features of the mosque.

Prep

arat

ion

Wudu

Prayer

Salat

Setting for

worship

Aamir Nore

The Dome The minaret

The minbar

The mihrab

Shree Durga Mandir

Three first yearstudents developed their own iPod tour.

-iPods cannot take the place of the person showing you round-developed a blended approach-introduced each section, covered pronunciations -then left the group to read more about topics.

Religions in Wolverhampton

Shree Durga Mandir

Durga Mata, is the mother Goddess in Hinduism, known for her benevolence and fierceness. She represents the endless power of the universe and is a symbol of female dynamism. (She is also known as Parvati, Ambika and Kali.)

Religions in Wolverhampton

Activity options

1. St Peter’s Collegiate Church2. Buddha Vihara3. Central Mosque4. Latter-Day Saints

• 20 mins to explore the iPod tour, identify good points and consider developments.

Religions in Wolverhampton

Now its your go

eLearning and Field visitsDiscussion

Issues raised in groups

Religions in Wolverhampton

eLearning and Field visitsConclusions

1. iPods positive contributions:- Individual / personalised- audio support- Collaborative learning

2. Challenges- Technological- Pedagogical

Religions in Wolverhampton