Axon is a Science website aimed at learners working towards the Third and Fourth Levels of Curriculum for Excellence. The site consists of Science-based missions and a 6-episode (90 min) Gaelic drama:
| Mission 1: Training | Mission 2: Bog body | Drama |
| Stuadhan (Waves) | Mun bhoglaich (About the bog) | 1. An Litir (The Letter) |
| Spreadhaidhean (Explosions) | Mun chorp (About the body) | 2. Am Buncair (The Bunker) |
| Casg an lobhaidh (Stop the rot) | 3. Am Monrovia (The Monrovia) | |
| Deuchainnean air Meatailtean (Metal tests) | 4. An Nàmhaid (The Enemy) | |
| Duilleagan agus Poilean (Leaves and Pollen) | 5. A' Helics (The Helix) | |
| 6. Am Buachaille (The Shepherd) |
The learning is delivered via story telling in a 'real world' context which reaches outside the classroom and across traditional subject boundaries.
The Axon team are a freelance investigation agency of concerned scientists. Axon has been called upon to provide scientific explanations for two unexplained events:
Mission 1. Why the bulk carrier MV Monrovia sank.
Mission 2. Whether the body found in Cors Las is that of Saint Seiriol, a Welsh saint who lived in the area 1,500 years ago.
As the missions unfold, the Axon team and agents send the learner messages, videos, interactive experiments and activities. These are delivered over time via the Feedreader, the menu-like mechanism to the left of the screen.
The Feedreader enables the learner to explore what interests them and discover the facts at their own pace. The Axon characters provide guidance and direction throughout as part of the mission story. During a mission, Axon asks the learner to report back on their findings and will give feedback and further direction.
There is no right or wrong path through the material and the individual activities are not marked or graded. Instead, learners are able to assess their own results and findings in the context of the story as a whole. The Mission reports have been specifically designed to enable and encourage this. Feedback on the reports is given in the context of the story by Axon characters, usually the Chief Scientist and Sam, the boss.
Saving Progress
Users can save their progress through the site by creating a username when prompted. The work will only be saved on the computer being used at the time and it will only be possible to load the work on that particular machine in the future.
Audio and Visual Help
Users can click the Roghainnean button to:
- display captions for audio and video content
- change text and background colours
- hear on-screen text being read out.
