Implementation of “In Love With Africa“ (SoI-HR-463)
Abstract/Introduction
The main goal is during the project-based learning process (their own tourist agency) about social and physical geographical characteristic of Africa to implement the education and skills development about differences between AI and official/verified sources of knowledge and materials. There are also additional tasks of implementation of this scenario: get to know Europeana, safe internet competences, practice languages skills (English language), encourage use different tools (emphasize on AI) for education, encourage cross-curriculum learning, develop skills of working in pair or groups, practice different methods of work, stimulate creativity, learning cross entertainment (edutainment).
Inspired by a scenario that perfectly matched with curriculum of Geography in 8th grade the scenario was implemented in three regular classes. There were 58 students that took part in the implementation process which took place across one month during which they learned about geographical characteristics of Africa and should make their project. Core part of the original scenario was used but it was upgraded because of context on curriculum, technological progress, and affinity of older students.
At the very beginning of learning about geographical characteristics of Africa, the idea of their own tourist agency dedicated to Africa was presented to students. They were motivated because of a combination of their positive attitude to Africa, many and flexible possibilities of working, combination of new AI tools with the huge potential of Europeana and combination of geography and ICT skills. During the whole next month they got tablets with them on classes and each time they had a combination of learning processes- learning about geographical characteristics of Africa, working in pairs or groups on new ICT tools, presentation and discussion about working on project.
Working process
Motivation, introduction, preparation
First week, the idea was presented to students via Canva presentation (https://www.canva.com/). They got all information and step-by-step explanations (deadlines, tools, main objectives etc.) They could choose to work individually and up to 4 in groups. Individual option wasn’t encouraged but it was an option because of some specific students. Also, they could choose between “Economical class” and “Business class”. As they worked on their own Tourist Agency the working options were appropriately named. “Economical class” option meant that they would work less and get only one grade, and “Business option” was more work- more grades. No homework during the project, strong mentoring process, flexibility, and possibility of choice, among all other, motivated students.
Economy class/option: flag, slogan (generate by AI), presentation- 3D exhibition or flyer or on-line book (min 6 photos- 3 of them from Europeana and min 1 AI generated)
Business class/option: flag, slogan (generated by AI), song (generated by AI), location maps, presentation- 3D exhibition (min 8 photos- 4 of them from Europeana and min 1 AI generated)
How they perceive Africa and where they would like to travel in it, we found out via Mentimeter (https://www.mentimeter.com/).
Then they looked at Europeana Collection ON SAFARI Gallen-Kallela in Africa (https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/exhibitions/an-ecstasy-of-beauty/on-safari-gallen-kallela-in-africa) as a good example how tourism in Africa looked like in the past. Additionally, they looked at four Europeana galleries about Africa that were made for them to search and use the for presentation of their tourist agency:
- Africa- maps- https://www.europeana.eu/en/galleries/14079-africa-maps
- Africa- tourism- https://www.europeana.eu/en/galleries/14125-africa-tourism
- Africa- nature- https://www.europeana.eu/en/galleries/14123-africa-nature
- Africa- social geography-https://www.europeana.eu/en/galleries/14124-africa-social-geography
Then we started a discussion about verified and unverified sources and licensed rights in the context of new AI possibilities. Europeana was emphasized as a verified and rich source. They named their team, chose the partners and working option- Economical or Business class.
Main part
Main part of working process lasted the next two weeks. Every week students worked on geography classes with their tablets for 20 to 30 minutes. They worked in their groups or individually. All the time they were mentored.
Second week they had to make the flag of their agency, slogan of their agency (AI generated) and the AI generated photos. They used these tools:
- Flags- https://keolot.com/
- Slogan- https://chat.openai.com/
- Photos- https://ideogram.ai/
Third week they had to make AI generated song of their agency and presentation option (3D exhibition or flyer or on-line book). They used these tools:
- AI generated songs- https://www.suno.ai/
- 3D museum- https://www.artsteps.com/
- Flyer- https://www.canva.com/
- On-line book– https://bookcreator.com/
It was obvious that some part of the working process they couldn’t finish in their classes, so they worked partly at home. At the end of the third week before the meeting in fourth one they had to make a presentation and put it on two on-line places:
- On-line classroom– https://classroom.google.com/
- Padlet– https://padlet.com/
Link to Padlet with student’s works: https://padlet.com/mirkoandric/put-u-afriku-na-a-turisti-ka-agencija-wsq0q3znrzmg6g36
In the classroom they couldn’t see each other’s presentation so Padlet was chosen as an option where they could see and rate each other’s works. Also, Padlet was a public exhibition for all other interested viewers (for example- school internet pages).
Presentation
Best rated works on Padlet students presented in classes in fourth week (up to three per class). All students discussed presentations and rated them with grades. They had to argue their grades and we discussed it.
Some good examples of student’s works:
- https://www.artsteps.com/view/65e1e8405b15fb4ca643da79/?currentUser
- https://www.artsteps.com/view/65f72cc3a125c8b29847601f/?currentUser
- https://www.canva.com/design/DAF_Hr_bawM/HWZtPHh00Y44N_1CDx-R-A/view?utm_content=DAF_Hr_bawM&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor&authuser=0
Evaluation of project and discussion
Finally, in the last week, students evaluated the whole process via Plickers (https://www.plickers.com/). It was obvious that, although they have very challenging tasks, students very much like it and at the same time improve their skills in AI tools a lot. There is still space for improvement in awareness of the importance of using verified Internet sources and materials.
This was the occasion to discuss tourism in Africa, African possibilities, pros and cons of tourism in local communities and its sustainable development on a global level. Also, it was one more occasion to motivate students to use Europeana for their next works as a huge, inspirational, safe, and accurate source of information and materials. All the time possibilities of AI in working, teaching, learning and all other areas of life and work were discussed.
Outcomes
Outcomes- for students
This implementation of scenario mainly focused on these outcomes:
1. Digital competences: while using Europeana, while making presentations, during the discussions and evaluation they used: Canva, Padlet, Plickers, Mentimeter, Google Classroom, Keolot, Suno, Chat.openai, Ideogram, Artstep, Bookcreator.
2. Cartographic competencies; while working with travel routes they incorporated them in map together with geographic location of for most important locations.
3. Literacy competences: while working in a pair or in group, while they worked on English language.
4. Personal, social and learning to learn competences: while choosing a system of participation (independent or in group, Business or Economical class etc.), while managing time and information and working with others in a constructive way.
5. Competencies of understanding time and space context: while discussing about context of safari tourism in Africa in 19 century and tourism today in Africa and global.
6. Cultural competence: while learning about African social and physical geography context and very often comparing Europe and Africa in past and present.
7. Safe internet competencies: while explaining, working and evaluating Europeana as a safe, reliable and huge resource and huge potential, while working a lot with AI tools and learning how to use it for education process.
Outcomes- for educators
As very useful for students, Europeana is very useful for educators too. Lot of ready, reliable and interesting materials and learning scenarios will make Europeana one of my main points in creative process of education. Importance of Europeana gets even bigger now when AI started to make a huge impact even on our everyday life so checked, appropriate and easily available information are crucial.
It was very easy to find information because the web page is intuitive. Learning scenarios are well prepared, there are a lot of them and they are very diverse so I could easily find one of my interests.
Scenarios are often very flexible and it is easy to connect them with a lot of educational areas- for example: History, Geography, mother and foreign language, ICT etc.
Using this scenario sparked curiosity and creativity in me again. I used a lot of new tools. Some of them I found for the first time in Europeana in different Learning Scenarios.
Advice to other educators planning to implement the same learning scenario:
1. Scenario is great, but you should adapt it to your curriculum, context and students’ abilities
2. You don’t need much time but you should split the activities during longer period so the students can make all the materials properly and enjoy it
3. Scenario can be related to other school subjects as well (for instance History or Art)
4. It is very important how you motivate your students. I chose flexibility, lots of options, step by step working process, mentoring and always an interesting topic of tourism in Africa in combination with making their own tourist agency as motivation elements.
5. Europeana is a huge resource, but you should help your students to navigate it.
6. Europeana is a great example to start a discussion about internet safety and reliable resources on it especially now in the context related with AI.
This implementation of scenario had these material outcomes:
1. Presentations– 3D exhibition or flyer or on-line book
2. Discussion how they perceive Africa and where they would like to travel using Mentimeter (https://www.mentimeter.com/).
3. Evaluation using Plickers (https://www.plickers.com).
Link to the learning scenario implemented: In love with Africa (LS-IT-29) – Teaching With Europeana (eun.org)
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PDM 1.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the National Library of Portugal.