SPHERE — Heroine’s Learning Journey: From a Common World to a Heroine’s Return (Copy)

Course Journey

HLJ-SPHERE

This journey model guides young students aged 12 to 18 with 3 levels (Junior 12-13 / Cadet 14-15 / Senior 16-18)through a 50-hour narrative experience across 12 stages, building STEAM identity, scientific skills, and the confidence to lead change in their schools and communities. Opening doors for students to collaborate with schools and researchers across borders in a genuine research journey, working with data from AMEDEE missions.

3 acts12 stages37 journey tasks

1The Common World3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesCurrentActive

Narrative

Maya in Loulé walks into a classroom converted into a mission control room. Klara, Piotr, Eleni and Lukas — across five countries — live the same transformation. Bella IA appears for the first time on the screens with a whisper: "I think they were waiting for you."

Mission

Complete skills and motivation pre-questionnaires. (unscored, research baseline). Draw a visual map: "how I see myself in STEM today".

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Understand what an analogue mission is, how SPHERE works, and map the current state of one's personal interest in STEAM.

Aid

SPHERE mission patch (one per student) + Astronaut Notebook (EXPLORE template) + a "control-room" scenographic kit replicable by any school.

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 1.1 Challenge: What is an analog mission?Lesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 1.2 Mission — Map yourself in STEM todayLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 1.3 Story: Maya’s first day in the new control roomLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 1.4 Aid: Mission patch, Astronaut Notebook, control-room kitLesson · Direct stage override
Formative quiz for Stage 1Quiz · Direct stage override

2The Call3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

Bella IA broadcasts the official invitation on video in five languages. The Mission Authority letter is hand-delivered to each protagonist. Maya hesitates: her mother works 12-hour shifts; there are no scientists in the family. Piotr decides quickly: "I came from Kyiv. I know what a mission is."

Mission

Official acceptance ceremony — read the Mission Authority commitment aloud. Digitally sign the code of conduct.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Decide whether to accept or refuse the call. Confront peer pressure ("you're not the STEM type", "that's for nerds").

Aid

A 90-second video of an alumna of EXPLORE 2025 — a real testimonial: "answer the call".

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 2.1 Challenge: To answer or not to answer?Lesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 2.2 Mission — Sign the Mission Acceptance StatementLesson · Direct stage override
Lição 2.3 Story: The LetterLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 2.4 Aid: Voices of those who answered before youLesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 2 — Stage 2: Answer the CallQuiz · Direct stage override

3Allies Found3 journey tasks6 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

In each school the SPHERE Tutor welcomes the protagonists. Helena Vacas in Lisbon meets Maya. Meetings are recorded with explicit GDPR consent and archived as "first interview". Eleni discovers that her autism — far from being an obstacle — is a strength for spotting patterns in data.

Mission

Initial self-assessment: list two strengths and two fears, share them with the buddy and the Tutor. Structured conversation.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Identify and establish a relationship with a Tutor (SPHERE-trained teacher) and an Ally (peer buddy); confront two real personal fears.

Aid

SPHERE Toolkit · Tutor Handbook · Buddy/peer pairing protocol · GDPR consent template for recordings.

LearnPress Content

6 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure6 items

Lesson 3.1 Challenge: Tutor, Buddy, SelfLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 3.2 Mission: Two strengths, two fearsLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 3.3 Story: Helena meets MayaLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 3.4 Aid: Toolkit, Tutor Handbook, GDPR consent templateLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 3.5 Interactive: Your first conversation with the TutorLesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 3 — Stage 3: Allies FoundQuiz · Direct stage override

4Storm Walker3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

A dramatic episode: the team loses data, a sensor breaks, a sample is contaminated, or a preliminary SOCS run fails. Klara in Innsbruck blows a thermocouple. Lukas in Munich loses four hours of readings by misconfiguring the data logger. Athena AI is consulted and gives a plausible but wrong answer — first lesson: "Athena can lie."

Mission

Document the failure in the Astronaut Logbook (EXPLORE template). It is not punishment — it is data.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Live and document a first, real technical failure.

Aid

Formative Assessment Debrief (technique from PD Module M3) · Astronaut Logbook template.

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 4.1 Challenge: What is failure data?Lesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 4.2 Mission: Document your first failure in the Astronaut LogbookLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 4.3 Story: The broken thermocouple in InnsbruckLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 4.4 Aid: Formative Assessment Debrief techniqueLesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 4 — Stage 4: Storm WalkerQuiz · Direct stage override

5Fear into Fuel3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

Athena (AI assistant) helps the team re-read the failure data, looking for patterns. Mentor video: Helena Vacas shares a real personal failure from an analogue mission. Eleni, normally silent, speaks in the group for the first time.

Mission

Build a "Plan B" for the mission; share with the group the lessons of the error from E4. Pillar 1 — Mini-Lab Toolkit starts here.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Reframe failure as information, not as identity. Fail in front of peers without going silent.

Aid

Reflective journaling template + a 5-minute "fail-forward" video library + UDL accommodations (captions, audio, visual).

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 5.1 Challenge: Reframe failure as data, not identityLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 5.2 Mission: Build Plan B and start the Mini-Mission Lab ToolkitLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 5.3 Story: Helena's failed analog mission, told in her own voiceLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 5.4 Aid: Reflective journaling, fail-forward video library, UDL accommodationsLesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 5 — Stage 5: Fear into FuelQuiz · Direct stage override

6Knowledge Light3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

Each protagonist discovers her STEAM superpower: Maya / communication robotics, Klara / environmental instrumentation, Piotr / mission programming, Eleni / data analysis, Lukas / visual communication. Athena adapts to the level and learning style of each — UDL applied by AI.

Mission

Complete four disciplinary mini-modules + close Pillar 1 — Mini-Lab Toolkit with a demonstrable product.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Acquire deep disciplinary knowledge for the mission (orbital mechanics, astrobiology, analogue geology, life-support).

Aid

Open resources — EXO4EDU, ESERO, Pavilhão do Conhecimento (PT), Deutsches Museum (DE), Copernicus Science Centre (PL); Athena for personalised tutoring.

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 6.1 Challenge: Reading Across SubjectsLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 6.2 Mission: Close Pillar 1: Mini-Lab Toolkit submissionLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 6.3 Story: Piotr and the moss that broke the ruleLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 6.4 Aid: Reading a graph well (and what graphs lie about)Lesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 6 — Stage 6: Knowledge LightQuiz · Direct stage override

7Critical Mind3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

Workshop "Can Athena lie?" — the core activity of the stage. Bella IA observes the conversation and points out the moments where Athena got it wrong. Ethical discussion: what is fair to ask an AI during an exam? H5P branching scenario: "you have 30 minutes left. Do you ask Athena?"

Mission

Solve a real STEM problem (e.g. size a solar panel for the analogue base in Alqueva) using Athena, then validate or refute the answer against external sources and compute the relative error.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Learn to use AI critically — not as oracle, but as questionable colleague. Understand hallucination, bias, and the AI Act.

Aid

UNESCO AI Competency Framework + AI Act explainer (Webinar W5) + DigComp 3.0 area 5 (problem-solving).

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 7.1 Challenge: When the answer sounds right but is wrongLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 7.2 Mission: Build your personal Verification ProtocolLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 7.3 Story: Eleni catches a hallucinated citationLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 7.4 Aid: Prompting Athena well (and the boundary you must not cross)Lesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 7 — Critical MindQuiz · Direct stage override

8Ordeal at Alqueva3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

A crisis inside the mission — communication failure, an ethical dilemma: spend the water reserve on the planned experiment, or on the team-mate who feels unwell? The crew must decide collectively. Bella IA does not intervene — she watches. Athena gives probabilities, not decisions. This is the darkest night of the Moon.

Mission

Pillar 2 — SOCS / SAM Run in Alqueva (Pilot 1, 2026). Stargazing-Observation-Citizen-Science full run + report.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Run a complete analogue-mission simulation under real constraints (resources, time, degraded communication, ethical dilemma).

Aid

SPHERE Standard Operating Procedures · OLA infrastructure · real mentors on-site · Athena AI as support, never as decision-maker.

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 8.1 Challenge: Crossing the threshold of "real"Lesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 8.2 Mission: Run a full SOCS protocol over two nights at AlquevaLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 8.3 Story: The night the cloud said noLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 8.4 Aid: Field-night safety, fatigue, and the cohort buddy systemLesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 8 — Ordeal at AlquevaQuiz · Direct stage override

9Defender of Truth4 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

The panel includes a real Mentor (Rosa Doran or a SPHERE alumna) + Athena as a neutral arbiter for technical questions — but the decision is human. Maya panics, then Eleni whispers "remember the failure log from E4 — failing is data". Maya defends. Applause. Each protagonist receives the Open Badge "Defender of Truth".

Mission

Pillar 3 — Scientific poster + 90-second oral defence. Each team produces an IPCC-style poster and defends it in 90 s before a panel.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Present mission results to a real panel (scientific jury). Defend the work publicly.

Aid

ASSESS rubric (UDL-aligned) · IPCC-style poster templates · communication coaching from EXPLORE alumnae.

Medusa Message

Message form Medusa

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 9.1 Challenge: The poster is an argument, not a decorationLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 9.2 Mission: Build, print, and submit your scientific posterLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 9.3 Mission B: The 90-second oral defenceLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 9.4 Aid: Receiving questions without losing the floorLesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 9 — Defender of TruthQuiz · Direct stage override

10Self-Captain3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

Each protagonist chooses a path — Klara wants environmental engineering, Lukas scientific communication, Maya space robotics, Piotr orbital cybersecurity, Eleni astrobiology. The choices are shared in a BuddyPress forum open to student-users from across Europe.

Mission

Build an individual digital portfolio (HeLas-style or Europass-exportable) and a STEAM continuation plan.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Define one's own learning goals for the next year. Step out of dependence on the Tutor.

Aid

Self-Determination Theory mini-coaching · Europass digital wallet · HeLas template · DigComp 3.0 self-assessment.

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 10.1 Challenge: From learner to self-captainLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 10.2 Mission: Write one SMART goal six months out, plus an autonomy planLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 10.3 Story: Klara teaches her grandmother to read a graphLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 10.4 Aid: The weekly self-review (15 minutes that protect your goal)Lesson · Direct stage override
7. Quiz 10 — Self-CaptainQuiz · Direct stage override

11System Rebooter (Lunares)3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

The team presents the plan to the school board. Institutional resistance. Conversation with parents. Interview with the local newspaper. In parallel, the full cohort converges at Lunares (Poland,) for Pilot 2 — the lunar analogue base. Bella IA passes the narrative torch to one of the protagonists: now she narrates for the juniors.

Mission

Complete the final course survey. Depending on the format of the course, or boot camp activity, the Learner must join a secret community group with peers, or perform an extra-curricular action.

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Pillar 4 — STEM School Label submission. Lead the school's application to the European STEM School Label — checklist of eight criteria. School reboot.

Aid

STEM School Label Toolkit · Lunares infrastructure · dual coaching (institutional + emotional).

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 11.1 Challenge: A school is a habitat tooLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 11.2 Mission: Pillar 4 — Build your STEM School Label submissionLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 11.3 Story: When the principal said no (and what came next)Lesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 11.4 Aid: Writing for institutional readers (the genre your principal expects)Lesson · Direct stage override
7. Quiz 11 — System RebooterQuiz · Direct stage override

12Heroine and Hero3 journey tasks5 lessons/quizzesActive

Narrative

Ceremony for the delivery of the Europass 50h micro-credential. Bella IA passes the torch — now the five protagonists become the new voices of the invitation. Maya, Klara, Piotr, Eleni and Lukas record videos in their mother tongues. Those videos are hosted as the Stage-2 opening of the next cohort. The journey becomes circular.

Mission

Produce a 30–60 s "answer the call" video for the next cohort. Become a near-peer mentor for juniors at one's own school. Complete Complete skills and motivation post-questionnaire (pair with the pre from E1).

Journey Tasks

Watch the video

Watch the stage video before continuing the journey.

Become a model for the next cohort. Close one's own journey by opening another's.

Aid

Platform hosting alumnae videos (HeLas instance or LearnPress block) · ritualised ceremony (in person or virtual) · final Open Badges 2.0.

LearnPress Content

5 lessons/quizzes

Act I — Departure5 items

Lesson 12.1 Challenge: The return is not a finish lineLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 12.2 Mission: Write your final reflectionLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 12.3 Story: The Heroine CircleLesson · Direct stage override
Lesson 12.4 Aid: What happens after Friday — alumni pathwaysLesson · Direct stage override
Quiz 12 — Heroine and HeroQuiz · Direct stage override

Free

Student:

2 Students

Lesson:

49 Lessons

Duration: 50 Hours

Quiz:

12 Quizzes

Level: All levels

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