E-Learning Assessment--The Search for the Emerald Key--Map Walk Through--Path A

One of the questions that I posed in Part I was:

"What would E-Learning assessment look like if Peter Jackson (writer and director of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy) was on the design team?"

Mr. Jackson is a marvelous story teller and story telling in E-Learning design, including assessment, is a powerful tool for engaging the learner in an irresistible manner that can lead to a deeper and sustained level of learning. Under such circumstances extrinsic motivation for the learner gives way to a rapid growth of intrinsic motivation which is extremely important in learning that lasts.

The Map of the Journey

 The map below was created by me as a walk through guide. You might have to magnify it to make out its details.

Map : K. Turner(via Auto Realm)

After the team has their gear, they receive last instructions from the educator. They are as follows:

Directions:

1. You will notice that as you look north of our location, three paths appear that proceed West, East and North. Each path has its own artifacts and challenges that you must meet in order to decode the necessary clue that reveals the location of the key.
2. Remember! I can be called upon a total of three times as a mentor on the journey. I can only aid you by asking you questions to help clarify your collaborative discussion with team members and your reasoning in dealing with challenges. I can not answer questions. You have other means for collecting data or information.
3. You will also notice that there is other life in this world. You must decide collaboratively how to deal with it.
4. Always pay attention to the digital clock that appears on your mobile device in the corner of the screen. Its count down at first tells you how much time is left to finish the first scenario. It will blink red when you have 5 minutes left in the first scenario.

The choice that students have to make is similar to the idea of "choose your own adventure" in which whatever path that is chosen, it will have its own subplot complete with artifacts and tasks. The first decision that the team needs to make is to answer the following question:

"Do we each split up and take a path or do we stay together?"

The answer to the above question will require the team to collaboratively discuss the pros and cons of each choice. One of the team members will emerge from the discussion as team leader. If they separate, a plan will need to be decided on how and under what circumstances they will be in contact with each other. This should include what to do in case of an emergency. Remember that one of the functions of their wearable device deals with emergency situations.

Path A

The artifacts and tasks that the team would encounter on this path can be modified according to the discretion of the instructor using this scenario. The artifacts that are crucial to finding the emerald key are found on all three paths which means that at some point collaborative discussion is needed to revise the previous plan. No one path contains all of the emerald key artifacts that glow green.The following artifacts and tasks are found on this path:

1.  As they take this path through a jungle area, they emerge into a clearing where they see some old ruins that have a fairly large structure which has a tower. Around the tower, on the ground they see some scattered odd shaped coins, a sword, a strange well that contains water that forms a blue vortex and is moving but not draining. The water is moving in a counter-clockwise direction. The door to the tower is open but they notice a faint green glowing object in the darkness that consumes the space inside.
2. Directly north of their location is a series of mountains some of which are volcanic in nature. When they move on from the ruins, they will be faced with the dilemma of figuring out the lava flow, how to avoid potential rock slides...etc. This will require the use of mathematical skills, Volcanology concepts , meteorology measurements...etc. Using collaborative discussion and division of labour based upon individual aptitudes and talents, they will decide on a plan on how to deal with getting around this area without costing them more time than necessary.

 

Credit: www.tumblr.com

 More details on Path A in next post.....