Here I am again but now with a different challenge, create a "super learning mission". And I'm sure that you will ask what is this? Well, a learning mission is a meaningful and interesting activity where children create their own knowledge and work by their own, in pairs or in groups to achieve the goals established on the learning mission and at the same time they are developing the contents. The teacher has a secondary role since the students are the centre of the mission.
The creation of a learning mission is based on the Project Based Learning (PBL) because the task proposed is related with the real world and based on a main topic which is: Landscapes. Students will notice that each task have more than one solution and that they could choose different strategies and approaches in their learning processes. As they are going to be accostumed to find different solutions in many ways they are going to be more likely to approach other problems with an open mind. It has to be said too that students who can see the conection between the task they carry out and the real word are more motivated and interested in learning because it makes sense.
Steps to create a learning mission by Paula
The flat activity chosen to turn into a learning mission is the following: Description of different landscapes . Why I have decided to change this activity? The reason is clear: make it meaningful and connect it with the real world. So, the first thing I've done is thinking how the activity can be modified and look for a good and entertaining mission for the students. And the idea that come to my mind is that students are going to form part of a travel agency, they will have to plan a travel to an inland or a coastal landscape. This involves looking for:
- Beautiful spaces to visit on this place
- A place to stay there
- Means of transport to arrive there and move while you are on this place
While they are collecting information they will use Google docs to share everything they have found. And once they have done the research and have all the information needed they will have to do a digital flyer with the digital artifact: Smore to show all the characteristic their travel has. The final purpose of doing this activity is going on a trip to the destination chosen at the end of the year if it is possible. From my point of view, the students will be very motivated doing this learning mission and at the same time they are going to learn how to plan a travel with all the aspects that involves.
Next, I'm going to explain step by step the instructions that students have to follow to complete the learning mission:
2 - Search for the characteristics of this place and the best sites to visit there. Try to specify the different prices.
3 - Find a hotel, hostal, camping... somewhere to rest while you are visiting the place. Try to specify the different prices.
4 - Find the means of transport available to move there.
5 - Create a flyer highlighting the most important information. Remember that your travel has to be the chosen one.
6 - The students explain in class the travel to the rest of their classmates.
I have created a presentation with a tool called Emaze, it has lots of layouts related with education and business and you have lots of possibilities regarding the type of letter, images, videos... So, I definitely recommend to use it. On the presentation are included the instruction of the learning mission and also with the goals the students are supposed to achieve doing the mission. The students will have this presentation to watch it all the times they need and also to achieve all the goals proposed in the time given (a week).
Learning missions steps by Paula
Finally, you have below the sample for the students made with the digital artifact Smore. I have chosen La Manga del Mar Menor as the place to visit and I have written the most important information ordered in different sections.
Flyer of La Manga del Mar Menor by Paula
As I explain in my previous post: Partner Search, I have decided to collaborate with "The ESL Times" blog since the main goals are learning English in all the aspects and work in group so this new learning mission fit in very good, the students have to work in groups and use some of the learning skills.
The process of turning the flat activity into a super learning mission has been a little hard since the activities that I have normally created are very simple and don't have so many aspects to deal with. However, carrying out this changing is the first step to begin introducing more complex activities where students can work by their own instead of easy ones in which students don't have even to think.