Emotional Relationship with the Landscape

Methodology

Study area

The classroom setting is the primary space for the project, with some sensory experiences taking place in the landscape under study.

Pedagogical methodology

The project employs a holistic approach that integrates body, mind, and emotion. Various activities include group dances, vocal exercises, theatrical scenarios, and sensory experiences to connect students with their emotions and the landscape.

Embodied Learning: Activities involve physical movement, such as group dances, stretching exercises, and sensory experiences.
The connection between body and emotion is emphasized to enhance awareness and expression.
Expressive Arts: The use of expressive arts forms, including dance, theater, vocal exercises, and improvisation.
Students engage in creative expression to articulate and communicate their emotions.
Reflective Practices: Regular pre-assessment and post-assessment activities to encourage self-reflection on emotional states.
Opportunities for students to verbalize and share their experiences, fostering introspection.
Sensory Exploration: Activities that engage the senses, especially touch, smell, and hearing, to create a direct connection between emotions and the environment.
Students explore and express their emotional responses through sensory experiences.
Experiential Learning: Learning by doing is a central theme, with students actively participating in various exercises and activities.
Emphasis on learning through direct engagement with the landscape and one another.
Community Building: Collaborative activities, such as partner exercises and group movements, to build a sense of community among students.
Activities designed to foster teamwork, empathy, and respectful communication.
Symbolic Representation: The use of symbolic elements, such as choosing spaces in the classroom to represent emotional states, to facilitate communication and understanding. Symbolic representations help students express and share their emotional experiences.

Type of collaborative experience

The type of collaborative experience is primarily cooperative learning. Cooperative learning involves students working together to achieve shared goals, promoting mutual understanding, collective problem-solving, and the development of interpersonal skills. Here are some characteristics of the collaborative experience:

Group Dynamics: Activities involve students working in groups, engaging in collective movements, dances, and exercises.
The collaborative nature of the activities fosters a sense of community within the classroom.
Partner Exercises: Certain exercises, such as the theater activity involving pairs of students and the sensory exploration in pairs, encourage collaboration between individuals. Partnerships enhance interpersonal connections and create a supportive learning environment.
Collective Reflection: Pre-assessment and post-assessment activities involve the entire group, allowing students to collectively reflect on their emotional states.
Group discussions and sharing sessions contribute to shared learning experiences.
Shared Emotional Exploration: The exploration of emotions and their connection to the landscape is a collective endeavor.
Students share their personal experiences and reflections, contributing to a communal understanding of emotions.

Type of collaborative action

Space where the experience is carried out

The primary learning space is the classroom, but some activities take students into the landscape being studied, providing a direct connection between emotions and the environment.

Where the learning experience has been developed

School classroom

Educational materials and/or resources needed

Basic materials such as comfortable clothing, chairs, and, optionally, objects of emotional value brought by students.

Evaluation

Initial or pre-assessment

The initial or pre-assessment in the project «Emotional Relationship with the Landscape» is designed to gauge the emotional states of the students before engaging in the various activities. It serves as a baseline to understand their initial feelings and sets the stage for the emotional exploration throughout the project. Here are the key components of the initial assessment:

Pre-Evaluation Question: The students are asked to assess and express how they feel emotionally at the beginning of each session. They choose from three symbolic spaces in the classroom: SUN (sol), CLOUDS (nubes), and RAYS (rayos).
Symbolic Spaces: The three designated spaces represent different emotional states (SUN for positive emotions, CLOUDS for mixed emotions, and RAYS for stormy or challenging emotions).
Students physically place themselves in the chosen space, providing a visual representation of their initial emotional state.
Movement and Expression: The pre-assessment involves bodily movements, such as choosing a space in the room based on emotional states.This movement-based approach encourages students to express their emotions physically.
Reflection and Awareness: The pre-evaluation serves as a reflective exercise, prompting students to become aware of their emotional states at the beginning of each session. It sets the stage for comparing changes in emotional states throughout the project.
Consistency Across Sessions: The pre-assessment is conducted at the start of each session, providing a consistent measure of emotional states across multiple days. This consistency enables the tracking of emotional fluctuations over the course of the project.
Individual Choice: Students have the autonomy to choose the space that resonates with their emotional state, allowing for individualized expressions. This individual choice contributes to a personalized and student-centered approach.

Formative evaluation

Formative evaluation refers to ongoing assessments and feedback mechanisms implemented throughout the various sessions. This type of evaluation is designed to monitor and support the students’ progress, allowing for adjustments and improvements in real-time. Here’s an overview of the formative evaluation components in the project:

Continuous Monitoring: Formative evaluation involves continuous monitoring of students’ emotional responses and engagement during each session. The facilitators or teachers observe and assess how well students are connecting with the activities and the emotional exploration process.
Feedback Loops: Regular feedback is provided to students based on their participation, expressions, and contributions.
The feedback may include positive reinforcement, constructive suggestions, and guidance for further emotional exploration.
Reflection Opportunities: Activities are designed to include moments of reflection where students can express their thoughts and emotions. Facilitators use these reflections as opportunities to understand individual and collective experiences, providing insights for ongoing adjustments.
Adaptation of Activities: Formative evaluation allows for the adaptation of activities based on the observed responses of the students. If certain activities seem to resonate more with the students or require modifications for better engagement, adjustments can be made in subsequent sessions.
Flexible Lesson Planning: The formative evaluation process supports flexible lesson planning, where facilitators can respond to the evolving needs and dynamics of the group. If a particular concept or activity needs more attention or if students show a strong interest in a specific aspect, the facilitators can adapt the plan accordingly.
Emphasis on Emotional Growth: Beyond academic or cognitive progress, formative evaluation focuses on the emotional growth and well-being of the students.
The assessments consider how well students are developing empathy, communication skills, and emotional awareness through the activities.

Final evaluation

The final evaluation in the «Emotional Relationship with the Landscape» project is a crucial stage aimed at gauging the holistic impact of the entire learning experience. This assessment occurs at the project’s culmination, allowing participants to reflect on the emotional journey they undertook. The evaluation is multifaceted, encompassing self-assessment and group discussions that encourage students to articulate and share their evolving emotional awareness.

Participants are prompted to express how the project has influenced not only their understanding of the landscape but also their personal and interpersonal growth. They discuss how the activities, ranging from dance and theater exercises to sensory explorations in the landscape, have contributed to their emotional well-being and perception of the environment.

The final evaluation acts as a platform for students to convey the connections they’ve established between their emotions and the surrounding landscape. It provides an opportunity for them to articulate the nuances of their experiences, offering insights into how the project has impacted their relationships, teamwork, and communication skills.

This reflective process is valuable for both individual and collective growth, fostering a sense of community and shared emotional understanding among the participants. The final evaluation serves not only as a conclusion to the project but also as a foundation for ongoing personal and collective emotional exploration.

Emotional Relationship with the Landscape

Keywords

Learning objetives and goals

Gallery

Learning experience data sheet

Methodology

Evaluation

Supplementary materials

Carrying out a collective audiovisual work

Cinema Forum