Implementation of ‘EarthQuest – Virtual Global Adventure’ (SOI-GR-208)

Introduction

This learning scenario ‘EarthQuest – Virtual Global Adventure’ is an amazing learning scenario for problem-solving equation in mathematics based on objects of the digital cultural heritage of Europeana.

The implementation context (when, where, how)

I implemented this learning scenario with a group of 27 students in the second class of Lyceum in Evangeliki Model in Greece by distance learning for 2 hours (more than suggested) in the subject of Algebra, as a review of the 1st chapter of linear systems. I followed the learning scenario guidelines, which were very clear with all the needed ICT tools and links for access to them and to the materials. Students worked for 2 more hours as homework searching for Europeana collections for materials and their history. They were mainly inspired to write problems with equations that were shared via Google Drive with their classmates and later solved.

Learning process

Starting with the suggested questions (Do you know why Coca Cola has the word Coca in its name? Are the 24 “holes” in a Petit Beurre biscuits accidentally there or do they have a deeper meaning? Do you know who invented ketchup? What types of cocoa beans are used for chocolate? Have you ever visited a sanatorium where cornflakes are invented?) students were motivated to search for the answers.

In the next step, we started the virtual tour travel to the world of history and learning mathematics. Using Google Earth, we visited each of the stations, discussed the history of materials, and then worked on a Google document – we wrote the linear equations and solved the problems. Students were very active and enthusiastic with the activities! The combination of important facts in the real world with the mathematical problem is an additional value of this learning scenario. Google Earth’s tool is a very clever selection for the enrichment of students’ interest and attention.

After the collaborative work in the classroom, students worked in groups to search the cultural heritage of the Europeana portal, write their mathematical problems, and solve them with linear equation systems. You could access their innovative worksheets. We did not create a digital story and a tour in Google Earth because I needed guidelines for the way that it could be done. It is also highlighted in teachers’ remarks that more time was needed for an explanation of how Google Earth is used.

Finally, all the photos included with links are very supportive on expressing the importance of Europeana in learning real cultural facts in real world.

Learning outcomes

Students develop deep content knowledge, critical thinking, creativity, scientific literacy, as they search for information in the Europeana portal.

In general, students enjoyed this learning scenario and it was a great way to learn mathematics based on the Europeana portal’s cultural heritage.

For evaluation of the learning process and scenario, we did not use the questionaries, but I have collected testimonials: “it was one of my favourite moments during online distance learning, ‘it was unexpected to combine mathematics with the real world in such interesting ways’.

Would you like to know more about this learning scenario? You can download it below:

Europeana-DSI-4-LS-2020-Croatia-Rakovac-Bekeš

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Public Domain Mark 1.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek – Austrian National Library .