The Mediaeval St Andrews App project team, led by Computer Scientist Dr Alan Miller, has been awarded a University Teaching Development Award to help fund a key development phase.
Smart phones and tablets are becoming ubiquitous and have the functionality to add a new dimension to learning. They typically contain GPS, a high resolution screen and connect to the Internet. The Mediaeval St Andrews App will enable the synthesis of scene and discourse to provide a new tool for teaching and learning. It will enable learners to concurrently explore the physicality of St Andrews and access location specific research.
For each point of interest on the trail text, images, audio and video will combine with the physicality of the location to provide an engaging learning experience. There will also be links to online digital resources, which index relevant scholarly research.
This project will draw upon research being undertaken in the schools of History, Art History and Classics. It will also make accessible early work by the project team on images and video of reconstructions of St Andrews Cathedral (http://vimeo.com/77928887), St Andrews Castle and St Salvator’s Chapel. The National Library of Scotland has kindly granted permission to make use of the Geddy map of St Andrews, the earliest holistic depiction of town.
The App will be freely available to students and to the general public.