E-Learning Assessment--The Search For the Emerald Key--Path B--Artifacts and Challenges

One aspect of this assessment event that I would like to make clearer is the fact that what I have described so far is based on the decision that the students decided to split up and each take a different path. It is the most likely option that they would choose but it does not mean that each team will choose this option. They could choose to decide to stay together and develop a plan on how to cover all three paths and still meet their time deadline. We are able to see their reasoning on their first decision at the very start of the event. Collaboration is required right from the start.

Another point to remember is that they access the following aids in solving challenging tasks:

1. They have their wearable mobile devices which connect them to the web and also each other so that collaboration can take place. They also have information gathering utilities in the form of a camera and sound recorder as well as other useful functions.
2. They have access to their mentor, the educator or trainer(in a business organization) who they may call upon three times during the event to help them clarify their reasoning.
3. Collaboration is possible on different levels for different reasons. Collaboration has a host of benefits to the learner. You will notice that the tasks are ones that students can understand and relate to because many of them have been exposed to similar challenges in video games that they may have played. Even for students who don't play video games, the tasks involve recognizable objects and ideas that they would have come across in story books or during their early education.

Credit: Reeves, Herrington & Oliver (2004)

Path B--Artifacts and Challenging Tasks

For the student(s) who takes Path B, here are the tasks that they will face:

1. Jungle Food and Unstable Rock Slides: One of the physical requirements ,besides water, is food. Hanging from the trees appears to be fruit that looks a lot like Mangoes and at the base of the trees are plant life that looks a lot like mushrooms. How do we go about deciding what they really are, whether they are alright to eat, and will they maintain the strength of the student as they continue on? Another interesting event is what appears to be rock slides that come off the mountains to the jungle floor. There seems to be moments of calm between the rock slides. You notice an object that is glowing green that is partially buried in the rock slide closest to you. It could be another clue to solving the location of the emerald key. Looking around at the jungle floor all you see are rocks and some large tree branches that were brought down by a slide that hit a dead tree. How do you solve these two challenging tasks?(Hint: take an inventory of what is in your backpacks) .If the student is able to retrieve the green glowing object, he or she will discover it has the following symbols etched in it:

     2. Raging River, Broken Bridge and a Distress Call: If the student makes it through the above tasks he or she comes to a deep ravine in which there is a swift moving river. In ancient time there was a wooden bridge that spanned the river but half of the bridge is gone. The remnant of the bridge is still attached. Just before the student is about to figure out how to solve this task, the emergency beacon goes off stating that the student on Path A has been bitten by an unidentified snake and needs help. He or she wonders if  his or her team member on Path C also got the distress call. How does he or she deal with this unexpected event? What steps should he or she take?

You will find out in the next segment. Are you starting to draw any conclusions about the actual location of the emerald key? I will give you one clue: It is in a real world location.

E-Learning Assessment--The Search for the Emerald Key--Path A--Artifacts and Challenging Tasks

If we refer back to the map in the last post and continue to look at the characteristics of Path A, there are a few items that should be examined in the clearing where the first set of ruins are. The items outside the ruins are:

1.  Odd shaped coins
2.  A old sword
3.  Long vines hanging down from the surrounding trees
4.  A well of water that is traveling counter clockwise in a vortex but does not drop in quantity

I also suggested to you that in the darkness of the open door to the tower there is an object glowing green. There is a good chance that it might be an artifact that will help to put together the location of the emerald key. Since you can see it glowing in the darkness and it seems to look near, you walk towards it and enter through the tower door. It seems to get closer but then as you walk towards it, you walk into a wall. You find an old torch attached to a wall and you use a match , the only match that you have, and you light it. You are amazed at what you see! The object that seems to be in front of your eyes is really a reflection and seems to be still at a distance.

What gives??

Challenge #1: You have just walked into your first challenging task! It turns out that what you are seeing is a reflection of the object. The walls inside the tower have a mirror like quality and what you are seeing is actually a reflection of an object that is further into the tower. As you turn to your right, you see the object or is it a reflection? You also notice that their is more than one corridor.

Question:"In order to find the object and retrieve it, what do you need to do?"

Higher order thinking skills require that you analyze the problem. You need to determine what kind of skill sets will be required in order to find a solution to this problem. In this instance, you might need mathematical skills to determine angles and distances. You might also need to know something about optics and the physics of light.

Question: "If you venture further into the tower, through a maze of corridors, how do you keep from getting lost?"(Hint--Think about the artifacts available in the clearing which includes all that are listed above.)

The following are possible options that the student may come up with

Option #1: Go back outside, use the old sword to cut down some of the long vines, tie them together, tie one end to a tree trunk and tie the other end around your waist. However, if you leave the torch it will go out . What do you do?

Option #2: Go back outside, gather up the coins and use them as "bread crumbs" that you drop as you go further into the tower. When you find the artifact, you can then follow the coins back out, picking the coins up as you return to the entrance of the tower.

When the student makes it back to the entrance, he or she determines, after consulting with team members using their wearable technology, that he or she should collect all the artifacts in the clearing and store them in the backpack for future use.

The glowing artifact has symbols engraved on it as follows:

Still there is the very curious well in which the water forms a vortex that is moving in a counter clockwise direction.

Challenge #2: You are getting thirsty but you do not know if the water is safe to drink. Use your skills to try and find out. You need to perhaps contact your team members but how will you show them what you are looking at?
Also, you want to talk to them about the strange movement of the water.You remember something about a scientific phenomenon called the "Coriolis Effect" and that it has something to do with locating places on the Earth.

Other Challenges on Path A

As the team member moves further north, he or she comes to the following challenges:

1. Must determine a way around an active lava flow.
2. Comes across an unidentified snake that strikes his or her leg.
3. Comes to the Great Fissure and notices that there are two ledges down in the fissure and that the first one has a glowing green artifact as shown below

 

It is becoming obvious that you can not deal with challenges #2 & #3 under "other challenges" alone. It is time to check the progress of your team member on Path B.

Next......Path B

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.....

E-Learning Assessment- The Search for the Emerald Key--Part V--The Walk Through--Preparing

 The Walk Through--Making It to the Other Side!

Upon entering through the portal, the portal closes behind them and they notice that this side of the portal has some sort of symbols on the frame. Could these symbols be important for the journey?

They turn around and they see that their teacher has been transformed into an avatar and that they too now appear in a generated avatar form.

Credit: mwww.roleplayerschronicle.com

 Next to their teacher is some form of walk in tent. As they look around they see an unusual world before them with mountains on the far horizon and mountains with an active volcano to the east.

This world can be effectively created through the use of Unity3D software. This type of software also has the ability to link up with Oculus Rift virtual reality technology as a future potential option. Another potential software for creating virtual worlds might be Open Sim or Unreal Technology.


The students are then interrupted by their teacher's attempt to get their attention. The teacher then begins to give them their instructions. They are as follows:

Instructions:

"Welcome to your assessment event. As you were told before entering the portal, how well you all do in this assessment event will depend upon how well you collaborate with each other in solving the tasks and challenges that you will face on your journey. As you travel you will be required to collect artifacts that you find along the way. The artifacts that glow green are important clues that when all collected will help you find the emerald key.The other type of artifacts that you will find scattered throughout the journey will help you overcome challenges that you will need to solve before you can continue forward. 

Before you can get started, you need to be equipped for the journey. If you will come with me into the tent I will point out your gear and explain to you what it does.

First, you will each be given wearable technology that will serve many functions on your journey. You have a choice between two different types. Both types have the same functions so that the choice you will make will depend upon what you are comfortable with.

Choice #1: The Slip On Sensor Glove

Credit: www.zdnet.com

Choice #2: The Wrist Data System

Credit: www.analysis.openmobilemedia.com

The capabilities of the wearable tech are as follows:

1. You will have full unlimited access to the Internet and special disciplines forums for the whole time you are on the journey providing nothing unexpected happens.
2. You have full texting capabilities to communicate with your partners.
3. You have GPS tracking that will display a grid showing where your partners are at all time.
4. You have a camera function that will allow you to take pictures and share them with your partners in real time.
5. You have an emergency sensor that monitors your vital signs and also can be linked up with your partners to show their vital signs.

It is important to note that if you remove your wearable tech, the functions will cease to operate as long as it is not on your person.

Other items that you are taking with you are these backpacks which you will use to gather artifacts and store where necessary, a rock hammer and last but not least, you will be given a Swiss army knife to help you in unusual circumstances.

Credit: www.holeproducts.com

Credit: www.swissarmy365.co.uk

Next: ...Map Walk Through
                               

                       

E-Learning Assessment--The Search For the Emerald Key--Part IV--Nature of Artifacts and the Second Scenario

In the previous post I described to you the nature of the assessment event and the goal of the first scenario. Instrumental to the first scenario is the ability of student teams to gather information in the form of artifacts or objects that they find in their environment.

The Nature of the Artifacts

One obvious conclusion that should have occurred to you is that this assessment event makes use of gamification elements. I would like to stress that although it uses these elements, this event is still about assessment and the needs of the learner.

The artifacts in the assessment event are of two types:

1. The primary artifacts are objects that will help them discover the location of the emerald key at the end of their journey. These artifacts when assembled will give them direction as to the location of the key and the door where the key fits. The key when inserted in the proper lock will open the door to an important discovery. These artifacts are distinguished from other artifacts by their green glow.
2. The second type of artifacts are objects that help to solve problems faced by the team on their journey. Throughout the journey they will be faced with challenging tasks where they will need to collaborate with each other and use each other talents to solve the problem and arrive at a solution. These artifacts are scattered throughout the environment. More on this in the walk through.

The Second Scenario

The second scenario is only entered into after the team has received feedback on their performance from the assessment team and their instructor. They now use the emerald key to open a new scenario which is a novel real world issue scenario that has been pre-chosen. It is here that they will also get a chance to put their acquired skills and collaborative expertise to the test.

Next...the Walk Through

E-Learning Assessment--The Search for the Emerald Key--Part III--Scenarios and the Nature of the Event

The Nature of the Assessment Event

The assessment event that the teams are going to enter into through the portal is made up of two scenarios that incorporate the ideas of problem based learning linked to an emphasis on the high end thinking skills as described by Bloom's Revised Taxonomy. The nature of the collaboration that occurs among the three member team will be the focus of the first scenario. It is also important to point out the special roles that the assessment team and the educator have in this event. 

The assessment team has already been described in a previous post. They will be able to see, read and hear (if audio is implemented in the event) everything that is happening during the event much like an invisible audience. They will be gathering data on how well challenging tasks are analyzed by the student teams, the collaborative reasoning going on and creative solutions to the tasks encountered. Each assessor will be able to offer his or her perspective on student performance based upon the perspective of their own discipline. This happens with the understanding that when we are confronted with solving a problem, we need cross disciplinary skill sets to analyze the problem and arrive at a viable solution.

Scenario #1

Credit:www.tevisthompson.com

The first scenario involves a journey in which effective collaboration is the key to success. In fact it is stated in instructions to students that it is imperative that all three team members make it through the assessment event together in the time allotted. For a team member not to make it through has an effect on the collaborative score in the assessment event. 

The role of the teacher in the event is unusual. When the students come through the portal, the teacher is there to give preliminary instructions and point them to their wearable technology devices. These will be explained in the walk through part in a future post. After that preliminary appearance, the educator disappears from the scene. The team can call up the educator only three times during the event in which he or she appears before them. The team can call him or her up but the educator will not give them answers to anything that is happening. His or her role when called upon is to ask the team questions with the goal of helping them clarify their reasoning during challenges. When he or she appears, it is the team's responsibility to keep track of time and to dismiss him or her when they feel the need to continue.

The first goal as a collaborative group is to gather information from the environment in the form of artifacts or objects that they come across and are able to examine.

Next....Description of Artifacts  and Nature of the Second Scenario(a short post before the walk through)

E-Learning Assessment-The Search for the Emerald Key---Part II--The Assessment Event Portal

In the previous post I suggested to you that assessment need not be a fearful event for the learner but could actually be an exciting, engaging and truly a revealing journey for the learner.
In this post I will describe to you a potential assessment event that might fit the above description. As I mentioned before, this event is keyed to E-Learning and the skill sets germane to that environment.

The Portal to the Assessment Event

Credit: www.plaza.ufl.edu

To begin this assessment event, qualified students are directed via a link to what may be described as "the assessment waiting room". It is at this point that students are made aware of other qualifying students arriving at the waiting room. Students are divided into teams of three. In the corner of their screens next to the portal they see a digital clock which counts down until to the time that they may enter the portal into the assessment event. They have 15 minutes before the portal is made active and a team may enter through it.

 

Credit: www.indiehangover.com

 While in the waiting room, they are given a pre-assessment task. The directions are as follows:

Directions: "Welcome to your assessment event! You have entered the pre-assessment waiting room. You will notice that two other students have entered with you. Your task, using the messaging tool made available on your screen is to interview each other since your success in this assessment event will be determined by how well you know the aptitudes and talents of the people you will be collaborating with. You need to find out the following:

1. Who are your partners and where are they from?

2. What areas of study are they good at? For example, some may be very good at mathematical reasoning, some may be very good at geographical and spatial reasoning, some may be good at linguistics...etc. One person may have stronger leadership skills than the other.

 You have 15 minutes to find out as much as you can about the other person. All conversations are being over heard and recorded by the team of assessors who will provide you with feedback in your final assessment at the end of the assessment event. The clock counts down starting now!"

Next......Scenarios and the Nature of the Assessment Event