Six Week Plan for Pre-Trip Lessons Galapagos Islands
Week
Theme
One
Set-up, Background, and “Getting Excited”
Two
Cultural Competency and Empathy
Three
History and Modern Context
Four
“Global Significance” and Research Plans
Five
Systems Thinking
Six
Media Production
Week One Set-up, Background, and “Getting Excited”
Week One
Objectives 1. 2. 3. 4.
Students are comfortable using online platforms Students have basic working knowledge of destination Students are motivated to learn more about their destination Instructor understands student interests and knowledge of destination Logistics • • • • •
Students receive log-in details for Schoology and Blackboard Connect course sites Meeting time for 1 whole-group meeting (Blackboard Connect) Meeting times for one-to-one sessions (via Skype) Students utilize course features of Schoology to access materials and upload assignments Instructor provides personalized feedback on assignments Materials
1. Passions/Interests ranking exercises 2. Internet scavenger hunt for Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands 3. Map of the Galapagos Islands
Week One Activities and Evaluations
Activity
Output/Assessment
Students fill in basic profile on Schoology
Interest ranking work with students Response to Internet scavenger hunt exercise
Students perform ranking exercise on passions/interests , followed by meeting with instructor 1-1 over Skype
Students have choice of 2-3 outputs related to their passions
Students conduct independent research “internet scavenger hunt”
Online assessment for answers; Sharing of “interesting things learned” via discussion board
Students trace itinerary onto map with “most excited” activities for each destination
Instructor reviews and comments on map with itinerary
Instructor provides first online lecture on destination via Blackboard Connect at end of week
Students voice questions about trip and online courses
Week Two Cultural Competency and Empathy
Week Two
Objectives 1. Students understand the complexity around defining and delineating cultures 2. Students have developed a personal definition of what it means to be culturally competent 3. Students understand how personal and cultural lenses affect perceptions of events 4. Students have developed personal definition of empathy and sense of what is required to be empathic Logistics •
•
Students utilize course features of Schoology to access materials and upload assignments Instructor provides personalized feedback on assignments Materials
1. 2. 3. 4.
Empathy pre-test Judging expressions exercise Cultural definitions exercise Perspective taking exercise
Week Two Activities and Evaluations
Activity
Output/Assessment
Students take empathy test and discuss its utility
Test results and quality of discussion
Instructor facilitates asynchronous discussions on definitions of empathy
Quality of discussion
Students take online test on judging emotions and discuss results
Test results and quality of discussion
Students pursue independent research on different definitions of culture and approaches to cultural competency
Students present results of research to group, Instructor facilitates discussion
Students perform preparatory activity on social perspective taking, and discuss two sides of a personal conflict
Evaluation of activity papers and mediation of discussion of personal conflicts
Week Three History and Modern Context
Week Three
Objectives 1. Students broaden and deepen their knowledge of the Galapagos Islands 2. Students develop an interest in a specific topic related to the itinerary 3. Students gain appreciation for the work of their peers as resources for learning Logistics • •
Students utilize course features of Schoology to access materials and upload assignments Instructor provides personalized feedback on assignments
Materials 1. Reading and viewing list 2. Assessment 3. “Briefing Sheet” assignment and examples
Week Three Activities and Evaluations
Activity
Output/Assessment
Students watch/read selections Online assessment on history from history reading and viewing of destination list Students divide modern context topics and conduct individual research
Students create their own “need-to-know” briefing sheets for modern context topics
Students present, share, and review each other’s briefing sheets Instructor provides feedback on sheets
Week Four “Global Significance” and Research Plans
Week Four
Objectives 1. Students set realistic research topics for their trip and form “affinity groups” 2. Students create research goals for pre-and-during trip research 3. Students select realistic individualized research outputs for the trip
Logistics • • • •
Meeting time for 1 group meeting (Blackboard Connect) Meeting times for one-to-one session (via Skype) Students utilize course features of Schoology to access materials and upload assignments Instructor provides personalized feedback on assignments Materials
1. Global significance factors and broad topic exercises 2. Questions grouping activity 3. Templates for final research plans
Week Four Activities and Evaluations
Activity
Output/Assessment
Instructor leads presentation on factors that make a research topic of global significance
Students ask questions during presentation
Students undertake questions grouping activity
Peers review each other’s “questions groups”
Students choose an overall research question
Instructor approves overall research questions
Students categorize question groups into pre and during trip research
Instructor approves basic research plan
Students form affinity groups for research and divide roles for pre-trip research
Instructor approves groups and roles
Students select the tangible output that they will produce at end of trip
Instructor approves outputs
Week Five Systems Thinking
Week Five
Objectives 1. Students understand the basics of systems thinking approaches 2. Students comfortably use the vocabulary related to systems thinking 3. Students are able to draw high-quality systems maps on a range of topics Logistics • •
Students utilize course features of Schoology to access materials and upload assignments Instructor provides personalized feedback on assignments
Materials 1. Systems thinking “prep” sheets and exercises 2. Systems thinking assessment
Week Five Activities and Evaluations
Activity
Output/Assessment
Students work through systems thinking sheets and exercises
Instructor evaluation of student work
Students post and discuss examples of feedback and balancing loops from their own lives
Peer review and comments on examples
Students take online exam on systems thinking
Results of exam
Week Six Media Production
Week Six
Objectives 1. Students understand the basics of media production planning 2. Students set up research teams to produce videos Logistics • •
Students utilize course features of Schoology to access materials and upload assignments Instructor provides personalized feedback on assignments Materials
1. Prep sheets and exercises for • Picking a Genre: PSA or Promotional Video • Who's Your Audience • What's Your Role: Producer, Writer, or Director • Research, Research, Research
Week Six Activities and Evaluations
Activity
Output/Assessment
Students choose a genre for their documentary
Instructor approval of decisions
Students choose an audience
Instructor approval of decisions
Students split media teams into specific roles and begin outlining content needs
Instructor approval of decisions
Final group and 1-1 meetings
