Mission IIS
An Interdisciplinary Independent Study
A new, personalized learning opportunity
Sponsored by NASA, CCSSO, powered by CASLS
What?
Mission IIS builds on a concept from an earlier
NASA grant , the VLM (Virtual Learning Magnet)
physics course, administered by CCSSO.
The VLM Physics was designed as a
performance-based, stand-alone course while
Mission IIS represents a next phase concept.
What?
Mission IIS (MIIS) is an opportunity for learners
to identify appropriate Common Core Standards
in mathematics1 and/or learning targets from
the VLM Physics course
1http://www.corestandards.org/assets/CCSSI_Math%20Standards.pdf
What?
Once a learner has identified an appropriate
goal, resources such as problem sets, video clips,
articles, etc. are provided.
When a learner thinks the goal is understood
with adequate depth, evidence of the learning is
put into the learner’s unique e-portfolio.
What?
Mission IIS is an INDEPENDENT Interdisciplinary
Study.
It is not a traditional course that a student works
through independently.
What?
Mission IIS is an opportunity-based learning
experience, not a school-based program.
Mission IIS does not give credits or even grades.
Mission IIS provides powerful evidence of
“learning to standards” that some students may
furnish to their teachers, schools, or districts to
provide evidence for performance-based
learning opportunities.
What?
Mission IIS is designed to be very flexible
It may be accessed by an individual learner
already enrolled in a traditional course who wants
some help on a particular learning objective.
It may be used by a teacher who wants to
provide supplemental learning options to students
whose passions include space or aviation.
It may be used by a student who wants to
earn a high school credit in a performance-based
environment.
What?
Mission IIS encourages interdisciplinary learning
by linking physics and mathematics learning
through a unique “tagging” system.
Students can easily opt to have evidence of their
learning apply to both math and physics. No
need to complete separate problems, etc. for
each different course.
What?
Under the auspices of the NASA grant, Mission
IIS uses existing NASA resources, focusing
particularly on The James Webb Space Telescope
(JWST) and the GPS satellite system.
Who?
Mission IIS is designed specifically for learners
who have a passion for space, space exploration,
aviation, and related areas.
Who?
Mission IIS is appropriate for a wide variety of
learners.
High School students will find it to be useful for
mastering concepts that relate to a rigorous
precollege physics course and Common Core
math standards that assume previous success
with Algebra 2.
Who?
Middle level learners who are “rocket kids” will
find an increasing number of CCSS math
standards that help learning occur through their
passion for space.
MS learners may also find that they are ready to
begin offering evidence of mastery of some
physics concepts.
Who?
Elementary school learners (K-5)who are
interested in space and aviation will also find an
increasing number of CCSS K-5 math standards
that they can target.
Who?
Though “independent” is in the name, Mission
IIS is designed as a collaborative learning
experience.
Learners are encouraged to collaborate with
anyone, anywhere to help them meet their
personal learning targets.
Other learners will provide the first feedback on
whether evidence of learning is sufficient to
submit for review by a mentor.
Who?
The “Team” behind Mission IIS is made up of
individuals from
CCSSO (The Council of Chief State School
Officers), recipient of the NASA grant
CASLS (Center for Applied Second
Language Studies), designers of the
software that stores leaner portfolios and
shows progress on the learning targets
When?
In September and October CCSSO and partners
will host a co-design process where experts,
educators, and students will provide feedback
on the concept and design of Mission IIS.
After the completion of the NASA grant period
in October, 2011, CCSSO will work with partners
to promote the use of tools as freely available
instructional resources for educators and
learners.
When?
Mission IIS will start inviting learners to use its
resources in September 2011
Where?
Mission IIS is designed to break the bonds of
earth’s geography.
Learners from everywhere are invited to
join the Mission.
Where?
Mission IIS is “cloud based”. It was designed
with the intent that learners, mentors and other
professionals could work and learn, mentor and
teach together.
With MIIS, every learner with a passion for
space and aviation has the opportunity to learn
in a “magnet” environment with others who
share the same passion.
Why?
Many students find much of their school work is
disconnected from their interests, their
passions, their technologies.
Mission IIS is an early attempt to provide
learners with a highly customized and
personalized learning environment.
How?
Mission IIS learners use the CASLS “Starfolio”
platform to log in, create a “passport”, access
the learning quests and provide evidence of
their learning.
Signing in
Point your browser (Chrome, Firefox or Safari) to
http://missioniis.uoregon.edu/home/studentSignup
Use Registration Code: IQ8209VW17
Create your learner account and password
Activate your learner account after you receive
the confirmation email.
Sign in as directed
Proceed to the Home Page
“Passport” contains background info
(these could be “live” shortly)
The “Hobbies” and “Career Aspirations” sections
help with reflection about current interests
“Encounters”
Progress – indicate what math and science courses
have been taken or are currently being taken
The Learning Tree
Currently oriented from Physics, but this will
change in later versions.
There is a loose progression reflected in the tree
Branch 1 before Branch 2 then
Branch 3 OR Branch 4 before
Branches 5,6,7,8 (in any order)
Concepts, Work, Can-do’s
Click “view” to open up learning areas