Presentation at AltC2013: The Representing Re-Formation project is an interdisciplinary Science and Heritage project exploring the multifaceted lives of the prominent noble family, the Howard Dukes of Norfolk, during the era of Reformation. This three-year project has been studying the Howard Tombs and possibly associated fragments using 3D laser scanning techniques and expertise from multiple research disciplines. Partners include the University of Leicester, University of Oxford, The Yale Center for British Art, Yale University and English Heritage. This project ends in September 2013 and we are hopeful that the findings of this big research can be successfully shared with the public. Strategies include a project website, public exhibition and free educational iPad application and educational resources which contextualise the research findings in situ. These activities are seen as integral to increasing the project’s impact by attempting to make academic research more accessible. The presentation will cover the app design, development and evaluation. The aim is to communicate the projects findings and the work academic researchers cover. The app encourages the investigation and discovery of artifacts found at the Thetford Priory site using AR. The focus is upon the evaluation framework used and data collected, concluding with discussions around using such media for communicating research findings to the public as an educational resource.

1. Evaluating
‘Thetford Tomb Raiders’:
Sharing research findings via an App
Nicola Beddall-Hill @CityMobileAngel
Research Associate, University of Leicester, UK
The Representing Re-Formation project
@RepReformation
www.representingreformation.net

3. Exploring the Tombs
Exploring the lives & deaths of the Howards during the
Reformation period
Focus upon their ornate Tomb monuments which
originally stood at Thetford priory till the dissolution &
were moved to Framlingham
Art History with scanning technology from Space
Science (both UoL) exploring what the tombs might
have looked like if they had stood at Thetford
History (Oxford) focus upon Howards & their funerals
as public events
Associated work via Yale Center for British Art, Yale
University, English Heritage & Norfolk Museums
Archaeology (UoL) exploring 1930 finds
Computer science & Museums Studies (UoL)-public
engagement

4. Representing Re-Formation: Reconstructing Renaissance Monuments
PI: Phillip Lindley CoIs: George Fraser, Steven Gunn, Effie Law, Ross Parry
3D scanned
image for
manipulation
As the Tombs
stand today at
Framlingham

5. Representing Re-Formation: Design group
Various outputs:
• Website
• Exhibition with digital aspects
• Digital Interactive Interpretation
• Educational resources
iOS iPad App…Bringing priory
ruins & findings to life -
affordances of Location aware
Tech & AR – linking to resources

6. Challenge 1: Our diverse App audience

7. Challenge 2: What will it tell us & how?
How to translate the findings of different
disciplines
What have you found & When is it ready?
Understanding these findings (Explain that again
please…)
Translating these to our audience (why is it
interesting?) using which media/language?
Mitigated by the divergent audience
needs/interests – using focus groups & survey
feedback & reference to GLOSs & Lit review on
inquiry based Apps & AR technology
Oh No…not another tour guide please!
Interactive activities to be supported by
‘downloadable’ educational & family friendly
resources

8. Using the map, locating the finds & information, seeing the
missing 2nd
Duke’s Tomb & situating the 3rd
Duke’s Tomb

11. Some key lessons
• Technological knowledge caused some design misunderstandings
• Learning app – is it possible when translating findings?
• Lots of regular working meetings are essential
• Staggered times alongside the main project
• Accepting limitations of money & time
• Discipline specific misunderstandings
• Consider design across iOS devices
• Less cooks & project managers
• Difficult not to be a ‘guide’

12. The challenges of evaluating mobile learning:
A 3-level framework: MyArtSpace project
Giasemi Vavoula & Mike Sharples (2009)
6 CHALLENGES
1.Capturing and analysing learning in & across context
2.Measuring mobile learning processes & outcomes
3.Respecting privacy
4.Assessing utility & usability
5.The wider organisational and socio-cultural context of
learning
6.Assessing in/formality.
Proposed & tested a 3-level framework
Micro level: usability
Meso level: learning experience
Macro level: Integration within existing contexts

13. Evaluation Model applied to this App

14. Results hot off the press!
Thetford Festival 7th
Sept – Tudor theme &
exhibition public launch
1400 people came – several talks and tours run
throughout the day, including 3 App tours
60 people – wide audience range – mini
interviews, head camera and surveys (50%)
Initial findings – most often described as
interesting & informative & fun
Only 1 found it difficult or very difficult to use
90% found it very enjoyable
83.3% would download it & 90% would share it
60.6% learnt at least one new thing from using it

15. Thank you for listening!
• The final phase of evaluation will
continue in Oct/Nov – App release Sept
• FREE App – ‘Thetford’s Tudor Tombs’
• If you want to take a peek come and
see it on my iPad
• App store by the end of September 2013
• Please share with history buffs,
departments and schools, enables onsite
& offsite use

16. Thank you for listening!
If you want to take a peek come and see it on my iPad
Download yourself: visit onsite or offsite
Look out for the – ‘Thetford’s Tudor Tombs’ (p.s its Free)
Please share with history buffs, departments and schools
App store by the end of September 2013