Learning Goals
Students will be able to investigate ecotourism in Puerto Rico and Southeastern Connecticut through firsthand research and virtual exchange evidence
Students will be able to analyze the economic impacts of Bio Tours at Bioluminescent Bay in Vieques and local Connecticut ecotourism options
Students will be able to examine the environmental conservation effects of Bioluminescent Bay tourism and comparable site management practices
Students will be able to synthesize cultural preservation concerns from Puerto Rican and Southeastern Connecticut community perspectives
Students will be able to define an evidence-based problem statement for a local Connecticut ecotourism site
Students will be able to prototype a sustainable ecotourism model for a Southeastern Connecticut site using user research and peer feedback
Students will be able to justify design decisions for an ecotourism proposal using user evidence, cultural insight, and environmental trade-offs
Products
Individual Ecotourism User Research Brief and Concept Prototype
Each student creates a research brief based on firsthand interviews, observations, and source analysis from Puerto Rico and/or Connecticut, then translates those insights into a low-fidelity prototype for a sustainable ecotourism idea. The product must show how user needs shaped the concept and what would need testing next.
Collaborative Connecticut Ecotourism Proposal and Interactive Digital Exhibit
Teams combine individual research to produce a shared problem statement, higher-fidelity ecotourism solution for a Southeastern Connecticut site, and an exhibit-ready narrative for community partners. The final presentation must explain the evidence, trade-offs, and iteration process that led from user needs to the proposed design.
No rubric has been generated yet.