SSIS_Personal_Project_Student_Guide.pdf

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Personal Project Guide

Student Name: _________________G10 Homeroom:


CONTENTSStudent Supervisor agreement ........................................................... 1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 2 Elements of the Personal Project .......................................................... 3 How will I be assessed? ....................................................................... 4 Your path through the Personal Project ................................................ 5 Starting the Personal Project ................................................................ 6 The Area of Interaction context ............................................................ 6 Topic for investigation .......................................................................... 7 Goal / inquiry question ........................................................................ 9 Product / outcome ............................................................................. 11 Creating specifications ....................................................................... 12 Examples ........................................................................................... 13 Organising ......................................................................................... 15 Planning timeline .............................................................................. 16 Investigating ...................................................................................... 17 The process journal ............................................................................ 19 The project report .............................................................................. 20 Reflection questions ........................................................................... 21 Appendices Criterion A ........................................................................................ 25 Criterion B ........................................................................................ 25 Criterion C ........................................................................................ 26 Criterion D ........................................................................................ 26 Criterion E ........................................................................................ 27 Criterion F ................................. 27 Criterion G ................................. 28 This guide is not an original work. It is a version of the sample guide available Approaches to learning ............... 29 as part of the Personal Project - TeachCommunity and service .............. 31 er Support Material available on the Environments .............................. 31 OCC. This was originally developed by Health and social education ....... 32 the staff of Concordia College, AustralHuman ingenuity ........................ 33 ia and all credit must go to them. AdMLA bibliography ....................... 32 ditional material was taken from the MYP Personal Project Guide ( IBO Project report checklist ............... 342011). My heartfelt thanks are due to the students, teachers and administration of Suzhou Singapore International School.

Byron Farrow MYP Coordinator Suzhou Singapore International School [email protected] May 2011-ii-


PERSONAL PROJECTStudent Supervisor AgreementStudent I promise that I shall: try my hardest to complete my personal project read and try to understand all of the guidance provided ensure that all of the work is my own arrange and turn up promptly to meetings with my supervisor respect deadlines.Name: Signature: Date:

Supervisor I promise that I shall: try my hardest to assist my student read and make use of all of the guidance provided make myself available at least once a month to meet my student report any problems to the homeroom teacher, Head of Grade 10 or MYP coordinator.Name: Signature: Date:

How d o Dont r I get in touch el w Make s y on meeting ith my super ur vi th first me e you get the em in the co sor? r ir emai eting! l addre ridor. ss at th e

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Introduction

The personal project is your chance to do what you want to do. It is a product of your own initiative and should reflect your experience of the MYP. It provides an excellent opportunity to produce a truly creative piece of work of your choice, to demonstrate the skills you have developed in approaches to learning and to show your understanding of the areas of interaction.

Aims

The aims of the personal project are to allow you to: Engage in personal enquiry on issues that are relevant to yourself, through an area of interaction as a context for learning Demonstrate the skills, attitudes and knowledge required to complete a project over an extended period of time. Reflect on your learning and knowledge (on your own and with others) Move towards thoughtful and positive action Develop confidence as a lifelong learner

Can I work as part of a group?

The personal project is an individual project and every product / outcome, report and process journal must be completely the work of one person. It is possible that some projects could be done collaboratively, but the work of each student must be clearly separated and identifiable - see the MYP coordinator for more advice!

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What do I need to create for the personal project?


You must create three items: A process journal (similar to the development workbook in arts) A product or outcome for display that shows other people what you did A project reportrd of e reco Prol is th l journa he Persona ur ess roc nt all yo Your p olvement i ecord ussions, ld r nv your i cess. It shou your disc ts, o g, ject pr our plannin and concep and s s y ideas, s of reading ng schedule otoh ti ng clippi cerpts, mee upervisor, p art p rs ex diary es with you u do that is is m t in th ver yo outco whate ould be kep mat of s graph rocess sh e for p ose th crapbook, of the nt. You cho be a s for e ht docum rnal. It mig ectronic site el ou your j ook, or an re information) b mo The product or outcome you crea note . (See page 19 for ple ate is how you show other people exam what you have investigated. Apart from your journal, which will be part of the display, you need to have some way of showing what you produced or achieved for your goal. This might be the actual product such as a model, electronic article, artwork or it might be visuals of the outcome such as photographs of an event you organised. (See page 11 for more information) The project re port is a summ ary of your experien ce of the pers onal project. Using no more than 35 00 words (not including title page, bib liography and appendic es) you must d escribe and reflect on the experience. E xtracts from the process jo urnal are inclu ded in the appendices of the report.(See page 20 for more inform ation)

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How will I be assessed?

The Personal Project is assessed against seven criteria. Each criterion is of equal value and has 4 levels of success. The criteria are:A: Use the process journal You show that you have used approaches to learning skills when completing the project. This is shown in part through the use of the process journal, as a record and organising tool for your project. You show commitment to completing the project through meeting deadlines, organising your materials, interacting with your supervisor, and dealing positively with challenges that arise. You record your thinking and ideas as you progress through your project. B: Define the goal You show that you have a clear project goal associated directly with an area of interaction and a topic that interests you personally, and that you have defined specifications to be able to evaluate your goal. C: Select sources You show that you have accessed a variety of sources and that you are able to evaluate these sources, for example in terms of whether they are reliable. D: Apply information You show that you have used the information you gathered from your sources in order to complete the goal. This might be through the development of techniques, problem-solving strategies or analysis of the information you selected. You show that you have thought about the information you selected and used it in some way to further your project. E: Achieve the goal You complete the goal and evaluate the outcome or product. You award yourself a level of achievement using the specifications you created at the beginning of your project to guide you. You get input from your supervisor for the final level. F: Reflect on learning You show that you have developed a new understanding of the topic and area of interaction through deep and detailed reflection on what you have done and what you have learned by doing it. You show that you have developed a clear personal understanding of, and response to, the project topic and area of interaction because you have carefully analysed the information you have gathered. G: Report the project You show that you have organised your project report by using appropriate presentation and linguistic conventions, in whichever format you have chosen. You meet the requirements for the word or time count of the text.

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YOUR PATH THROUGH THE PERSONAL PROJECT


Grade 9MYP 4

(1) AoI context

(2) Topic for Investigation

THINKING ORGANISING PRESENTING

(3) Goal / Inquiry Question (4) Outcome / Product(s)

summer holiday

Grade 10MYP 5

(5) Complete Specifications

(6) Investigate (start as soon as possible) (7) Plan (9) CreateWho will assess my work? Your supervisor will assess your work against the seven criteria outlined opposite. Your work will then be reassessed by another supervisor to confirm the levels. A sample of work will also be sent to teachers at other schools for additional checks.

(10) Exhibition

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Starting the Personal Project

The personal project needs a goal, that must come out of a topic of personal interest, set in the context of an area of interaction. You can start with either the area of interaction (step one) or the topic of personal interest (step two).

STEP ONE: Area of Interaction Context

You MUST choose an area of interaction to be the context for your project. The personal project follows the form of an inquiry. The inquiry process is best shown as a diagram - the inquiry cycle. The AoIs provide the context for the inquiry.Human ingenuity you are interested in investigating how and why inventive and creative genius can solve problems, improve the human condition or change how we view our world and beliefs. You want to identify and explore the responsibilities we have when we make changes Environments you are interested in investigating how and why particular environments (natural, built, virtual) operate, face challenges or need improving. You also want to identify and explore our responsibilities towards those environments Health and social education you are interested in how and why people live as they do, the relationships that exist, the health and social issues individuals and groups must face and our responsibilities to ourselves and others through our lifestyles Community and service you are interested in investigating how and why communities exist and how and why it is important that individuals and groups For m o offer services within communities on th re guida nce e app Approaches to learning you are interested in investigating how people learn and the variety of different ways in which different people can learn effectively

the A licati o o the a Is please n of ppen s dices ee .

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STEP ONE DECISION: AREA OF INTERACTION The area of interaction I will use as the context for my Personal Project is:

I have chosen this area of interaction because I wish to explore

STEP TWO: Topic for Investigation

The most important factor to consider when choosing a topic is that it interests you. It is also important that it readily relates to your chosen area of interaction. Almost all topics can be investigated with all five areas of interaction your challenge is to understand your topic within the context of ONE area of interaction.MY CURRENT ACTIVITIES Currently, the things I am involved in or do at school, with clubs or social groups are:

PERSONAL ENJOYMENT AND RELAXATION Currently, the things I enjoy doing for relaxation or fun are:

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IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME Currently, the most important things to me are:

IMPORTANT ISSUES AND MATTERS TO PEOPLE MY AGE Currently, the things I think people my age are concerned about are:

IMPORTANT ISSUES AND MATTERS TO THE WORLD Currently, the things I think people around the world are concerned about are:

STEP TWO DECISION: TOPIC FOR INVESTIGATION The topic I will investigate for my Personal Project is:

I have chosen this topic because

This fits with my area of interaction ______________ because

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STEP THREE: Goal / Inquiry Question


You now have an area of interaction and a topic of interest. You must set a goal what you aim to achieve with your project. The best way of describing your goal is to create a question that will guide your investigation. Your question must reference: your area of interaction your topic Your question must demand inquiry, and not be a question that can be answered in a sentence or two. Some examples of inquiry questions include:Human ingenuity questions: What ingenious ideas will enable householders to reduce their carbon footprint on the planet? What ingenious processes are involved in authentically rejuvenating an antique wardrobe? How have ingenious humans developed human flight over time and what might the future hold? What can be done to improve access to all areas of our school for students with physical movement disabilities? What factors and clever strategies enable a performer to excel in a performance? What could teachers do to make learning experiences more enjoyable and effective for Middle School students at our school? Why is it important to train a dog and what are effective ways to achieve this aim?

Health and social education questions: Is it important to have single gender classes at school or should everyone be in coeducational classes all the time? What exactly is a healthy lifestyle and is it the same for everyone? Why is it important to have a school transition program for new students and what should it involve? How effective is the existing drug awareness program in our community, and what Environments questions: What materials and methods can lighting could be done to improve drug awareness designers use to ensure that lighting systems and the dangers of substance abuse among our peers? are friendly to the environment? Is the schools use of resources efficient or Does the existing homework program help or hinder students relationships with wasteful and what can be done to improve family and friends, and are there improvethe existing situation? ments that could be made to the program? What are the best environmental conditions for rearing birds in captivity and why Community and service questions: are those conditions effective? How can school students really help peo Why should we be concerned about the local environment and what should be done ple in need in the international community? What actions should the general commuto improve it? How can I positively improve the current nity take to enable older citizens to live safe and comfortable lives? environment within my familys home? How can a person change the world for the better through service without spending Approaches to learning questions: money? What strategies and techniques can stu What can we do to bring the international dents use to more effectively manage and community together to fulfil the International complete homework? How can a coach effectively improve the Baccalaureate mission? How does my church actively serve the individual and team ball-handling skills of wider community and how might I get injunior basketball players? How might our school enable all teachers volved? to become proficient with Information and Communication Technologies?-9-


POSSIBLE INQUIRY QUESTIONS Questions I am considering are:

Can I change my project? Yes until you complete your specifica tions at the end of Septem ber. After that, no you c ant!

Talk to other people about your inquiry question ideas - your parents, friends and teachers. Make sure the area of interaction is obvious in your question or can be clearly connected to your question. Then make a decision. You can always edit your question later (to a point), but choose one now to kick start. your process.STEP THREE DECISION: INQUIRY QUESTION The inquiry question to which I will respond for my Personal Project is:

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STEP FOUR: Deciding on the outcome or product


With your area of interaction, topic and inquiry question in place, you need to think about what your outcome or product will be; you have to decide the format that you will create to show your response to other people. How do you plan to answer your inquiry question? So for example, if your inquiry question is What exactly is a healthy lifestyle and is it the same for everyone?, in what form do you plan to answer this? You decide that you will answer the question, for example, through producing an information board for healthy living that will be displayed in an area of the school for a period of time. You might have decided to answer it in another way such as creating a short film or writing a report for the school online newspaper. You decided on a goal that you think is achievable for yourself as well as being challenging. You can choose from an almost endless list of possibilities for your product choose to create an item that will best demonstrate what you have learned through your investigation and will show other people what you have learned. Some examples of outcomes or products include: Performances play, dance, song, speech Published writing creative prose, collection of poetry, major essay, extended article, script, review Events Fund-raising evening, service in action, celebration, major event Static visual displays photographs, art, poster, model, artefact, drawings, statistical data Interactive displays web site, video, audio-visual, animation

t or outCan I have more than one produc come? ce of muYes if you wish to compose a pie that will sic and then perform it in public, y have be two products, but you should onl one goal / inquiry question.

STEP FOUR DECISION: THE OUTCOME OR PRODUCT The outcome or product for my Personal Project is:

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STEP FIVE: Creating specifications

You will need to create specifications for your outcome or product. The specifications are the way you will know youve achieved your goal. You will need to ask yourself different questions in order to define the specifications. The questions you ask might change depending on the type of outcome or product. Questions you might find helpful include: What will my outcome or product look like? What type of materials will I use? What techniques will I use? What type of information will I include? How will I present the information? Will I include visuals? Do I need to consider any copyright or intellectual property issues? Who is the audience? How will I get feedback?

Talk to other people about your specifications your parents, friends, your teachers. You can always refine your specifications later as you discover more about your personal project goal, but create some now to kick-start your Personal Project and record them below. At the end of September you will be required to submit your final specifications to the MYP Coordinator. From then on they cannot be changed, so make a special effort to produce appropriate specifications!

STEP FIVE DECISION: SPECIFICATIONS The specifications for my product(s) or outcome(s) are:

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EXAMPLES (Steps 1 5)


Example 1

Area of Intera s: Product / Outcome: Specification

to care for their local environme ction: Approaches to Learning

Question: How can I inspire students nt?

The workshop has: A workshop pack (with ives clear and measurable object plan and materials) right length for the targetlivery of the workshop is the De ed students to children of includes a suitable number activities for the purpose of the objectives lua includes a post-workshop eva tion questionnaire

Example 2

Completed fundraising campaign Donataion and presentation of funds to the charity

Product / Outcome: Specification s:

Area of Interaction: Community & Ser

ey for a leukemia charity? vice

Question: What can I do to raise mon-

The campaign: is clearly communicated to the school community gives information to the com munity about how the money will be used is of clear duration and has an event where money is donated is appropriate to the target audience

Example 3

Question: How can I help to make newstudents welcome to the school?

Area of Interaction: Health and Social Education Product / Outcome: Specifications:Welcome pack and proposal for a buddy system The proposal: is clearly communicated with written support isclearandwelldefined gives evidence of research shows the system is sustainable and cost-effective to the school shows that the pack is relevant to the new students shows there would be support from other students

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Example 4

Area of Interact Specifications: to acProduct / Outcome: tion of plants takes ints Arrangements of plan in areas of the school

in school environment ion: Environments

Question: How can I impr ple way? a sim

ove the

loca safety policount the health and cies of the school maintain plants are easy to plants provid there is a range of d colour ing a mix of foliage an for ensuring there is a system oked after that the plants are lo

Example 5A mixed media, threedimensional, painting

Product / Outcome: Specification s:

Area of Interaction: Human Ingenuit

tant bamboo is to rural Chinese y

Question: How can I show how imporpeople?

The painting: includes images of how bam boo is used in daily life is acrylic on canvas in observ ational style is mixed media and realism bamboo products attached to the canvas. is on canvas size 1m x 1m

Example 6Interactive d site isplay

Area of Intera ecifications: utcome: Spe display / website: Product / O ry of past, / web- Th

, how and sh Question: Why vivisections? genuity ction: Human In

ould we do

a summa includes ces of future practi present and vivisection formainly visual in includes ma io e text or aud tion with som s to tion prompt ques includes wers challange vie vey sfromasur ludesfinding cting inc ethod of colle includes a m feedback

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STEP SIX: Organising


With your area of interaction, topic, inquiry question and specifications in place, you should take time to plan your time management over the period allowed for the Personal Project. Managing time is one of the most crucial elements of the project. It is essential that you create a timeline of what you plan to do. To help you plan, you should remember that the Personal Project has at least five phases:

THINK

This is the phase involving the first five steps you develop your personal project concept through your choice of area of interaction, topic and inquiry question This is the phase you undertake next you gather as much information as you can on your topic. This phase is when you plan your response to the inquiry question sorting through information and designing your product / outcome. This is the phase when you actually create your product or outcome for the Personal Project. Finally, you present your Personal Project for viewing and assessment.

INVESTIGATE

PLAN

CREATE

PRESENT

To the left is an example of a timeline. A full timeline is essential for your progress journal. The exact format is your choice, but a version you might want to use is on the next page ...

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My Planning TimelineMonthJune

Week1 2 3 4

Focus

Activities

July

1 2 3 4

August

1 2 3 4

September

1 2 3 4

October

1 2 3 4

November

1 2 3 4

December

1 2 3 4

January

1 2 3 4

February

1 2 3 4

March

1 2 3 4-16-

INVESTIGATINGWhat is an investigation? An investigation for the Personal Project is the action of finding out information in order to respond to an inquiry question. Using your inquiry question, you will: gather


all the information you can from a variety of sources evaluate the sources: work out which information is really useful as well as reliable and which isnt for a response to the inquiry question What sources do I use for my investigation? You have access to a variety of information sources:

Books Articles from magazines, journals, newspapers Web sites You must use in-t ext citation and a bibliography, formatted us TV programmes / video clips ing the latest editi on of the MLA system. See Expert people the appendices (p .32)secondary librari an for help.

and the

You should use them all, initially, to find out as much as you can on your topic. Record all of the sources you read, view, listen to, interview in your process journal. This will form a valuable resource for later in the project process. How do I choose what information to use? Having investigated your topic by reading, viewing, listening and interviewing to gather information, now you have to sort through what you have gathered to choose what is most useful or appropriate for your project response. There are many techniques you can apply to choose which information to use and which to leave out. Some examples are identified below as guides or reminders of what to do at this point. Sometimes one technique will work. More likely you will have to use combinations of them to finally choose what information to use.-17-


Straight logic

This technique requires you to simply select information by thinking about its relevance to your inquiry question. You label pieces of information as either Relevant or Irrelevant and then use the Relevant information for your project.

Degree of importance

You make four categories and go through your information labelling each piece of information according to the category that best describes what you have found. The categories are:

Absolutely essential

You cannot respond to the inquiry question if you dont use this information. Keep it and use it.

Very useful

This is information that should be used in the response because it makes very clear to everyone what you have learned or want other people to learn about your topic. Keep and use as much of this as you can.

Interesting

This information does refer to the inquiry question, but if you did leave it out it wouldnt radically change your response. Use it if you dont have enough of the two levels above.

Irrelevant

When you look at your inquiry question this information doesnt really help. It is related to the topic only, but not the area of interaction. You ignore this information.

The Checklist

For this technique you have a series of question that you apply to each piece of information. If it receives ticks against all questions then clearly you should use the information in your response. Is the information source reliable and is the information accurate? Is the information current or still valuable if it is older? Does the information help me respond to the inquiry question? Does the information connect clearly with the area of interaction or aspects of it? Does the information belong to my topic? Will the information help me to develop my project product?

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THINKING, PLANNING, CREATING and REFLECTINGYour JournalWhat should I keep in my Journal? Your journal is a complete record of EVERYTHING you do for your Personal Project, from START to FINISH. You should use your journal to store: Notes and ideas on your project area of interaction Concepts for your project Drawings, pictures, clippings, photographs Information gathered from your investigations Copies of interviews and discussions with people Plans for your project Timeline(s)

Above all else you should use your journal to make regular and detailed REFLECTIONS on your ideas, progress and challenges. Record your responses to other peoples feedback, your good experiences and your disappointments. Your journal will be the most important document in your Personal Project experience because from it you will be able draw all the kind of information you will need to write your report. You will need to include an extract (at least 10 - 20 entries) in the appendices of your report. What should my journal look like? You choose your journal format. Choose a format that allows you to be organised and chaotic, tidy and messy, because you will be putting scraps as well as good documents into it. You therefore can choose from a number of formats: A web site A scrapbook A booklet Electronic booklet / Word document A wiki A blog A PowerPoint

Choose the one you feel will be the most effective for your style of learning and make it AWESOME.y process jou ould I start m When sh Y! Start it TODA-19-

rnal?


Your project reportWhat is the project report? The project report is the formal record of the entire process you undertook to complete your Personal Project investigation. It will explain clearly to whoever reads, listens to or watches it: Your area of interaction context Your specific topic Your inquiry question and the product or outcome you created Your plans and the process you implemented The resources you used The techniques you applied The challenges and issues you faced and perhaps solved What you learned about your topic and area of interaction from your investigation What you learned about yourself as a learner from the Personal Project experience What should the project report look like? The report is the place where you bring together and summarise your thinking, process and creation that helped you to complete your project. You can start drafting the report at any stage or begin when you have completed the outcome or product, however make sure you plan in enough time to produce the report. The information you include in the report is organised into specific sections, whichever format you choose. The report doesnt replace the product or outcome of your project, so think about how you personally will communicate the information you want to in the best way for you. You will need to plan and organise the information. Your process journal will be extremely important at this point as it will contain all the information you need to complete the report, if you have used it consistently. Structure of the personal project report The report must include: Title page; Table of contents; Body of the report; Bibliography; Appendices. The Title page must include the following. Student name Title of the project Length (word count - maximum is 3500 words) School name Year-20-

The body of the report is structured around the objectives and assessment criteria and it must include these sections. The goal (criterion B) Selection of sources (criterion C) Application of information (criterion D) Achieving the goal (criterion E) Reflection on learning (criterion F)What should go in the appendices? At least two things - the bibliography and an extr act from your progress report in cluding at least 10 - 20 entries co vering all strands of criterion A. You can also include anything else you think is useful.


Length of the report The length of the personal project report must be a minimum of 1,500 words and a maximum of 3,500 words, not including appendices and bibliography.

Reflection questions for producing the project reportThese are questions you might use to help you think about your project when producing your report. You dont have to answer each question as a checklist but they are to give you an idea of the type of information to include. You need to be aware of the overall word limit for the project. Some sections of your report may be longer than others; this is usual. The goal What area of interaction was the context for your project? Why did you generally choose that area of interaction? What specific features of the area of interaction did you intend to focus upon in your project and why? What personal interest topic did you select? Why did this topic interest you? How much prior experience or understanding of this topic did you have? How does this interest or topic directly relate to your chosen area of interaction? What inquiry question did you design from the area of interaction and topic? What process did you use to decide on your inquiry question? Why is your question one that requires more than a simple answer? How can someone recognise the area of interaction in the question? How do they recognise the topic in the question? What goal did you set for your project? What specifications did you put in place to help you successfully complete your investigation and your project overall? Select sources What resources did you investigate for your project? Why did you choose them? Were some resources better than others? Did you have any difficulties finding or using resources?

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What printed resources did you use? Why did you use them? Where did you find them? How easy were they to obtain? What was valuable about them? What electronic resources did you use? Why did you use them? How did you access them? How easy were they to access? What was valuable about them? What human resources did you use? Why did you use them? How easy were they to meet or talk to? What was valuable about them? How did you make your choices about what information to use and what to discard? How did you evaluate your sources? Application of information What exactly did you do to complete your project? What decisions did you make based on the information you discovered? How did you solve problems? How did the information affect your choices? Were there any specific techniques you developed as a result of your investigation? Achieve the goal Did you adjust or alter your original goal as the project developed? If you made changes, why did you make the changes? Do you feel that you successfully achieved your goal? Did you have to alter your specifications much during the process? Explain how effective your specifications turned out to be overall and evaluate your product. What level of achievement would you award your product or outcome based on your specifications? Does your supervisor agree with this? Reflect on learning What exactly did you learn from your investigation? What was your response to your inquiry question? How did you reach your conclusion or hypothesis or point of view or expression of ideas? What aspects of your investigation really helped you to reach a better understanding of your topic? What new understanding do you have the area of interaction you chose to use as the context for your project? How did the area of interaction context give you a different or better understanding of your topic? How well did you do the project, according to your self-assessment? What did you feel you did well? What would you improve next time you do a similar project? What specific skills did you need to develop/apply to investigate and complete your project? What new skills did you learn, or what existing skills did you improve? What format did you use for your Journal and why was it your pre-22-


ferred format? What did you learn about yourself as a person through undertaking the project process? Which of the Learner Profile qualities did you find yourself exhibiting at different times and why? Have you improved in any of these qualities? What action should be taken by yourself and others as a result of what you discovered through your investigation? Why should that action occur? How might that action be implemented? Final comment about your experience with the project? Can anyone help me to edit my project report? The project report should be as error-free as possible so it is essential that you seek other people to edit your drafts. In publishing, the editing process is essential so it is essential you apply it in your Personal Project report. You can approach family, friends and teachers for assistance with grammar, punctuation and spelling matters. However, while they can help you with editing, they cant WRITE the project report for you. It must ultimately be your own work. Finally Remember you are not doing this in your own. Your supervisor and others will help you on your way and by choosing something YOU want to explore, with planning and effort, you will complete the project and by the end of it be more knowledgeable and skilled in your chosen area.

What file fo rmats can I use? Your projec t report, pro gress journa possible an l an d applicable , your produ d, when be submitte ct must all d electronic ally. You sho all text / gra uld submit phics files a s pdfs (max 20MB). Vid imum size eo a mon formats nd audio files should u se comthat supervis ors and mo will be able derators to open eas ily.

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APPENDICESThe following table lists all of the assessment criteria, where the evidence will be found and the maximum level that can be achieved:Criterion A Criterion B Criterion C Criterion D Criterion E (non-moderated) Criterion F Criterion G Use the process journal Define the goal Select sources Apply information Achieve the goal Reflect on learning Report the project Process journal Report Report Report Product and report Report Report Max. 4 Max. 4 Max. 4 Max. 4 Max. 4 Max. 4 Max. 4 Total: 28

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Criterion A: Use the process journalNotes:How long should my process jour nal be? To provide evidence for criterion A you should include at least 10 - 20 extracts from your journal, reflecting each of the strands. Achievement Level descriptor Level


0 1

The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below. The student demonstrates minimal: organisational skills through time and self-management communication and collaboration with the supervisor information literacy, thinking and reflection The student demonstrates some: organisational skills through time and self-management communication and collaboration with the supervisor information literacy, thinking and reflection The student demonstrates satisfactory: organisational skills through time and self-management communication and collaboration with the supervisor information literacy, thinking and reflection The student demonstrates well-developed: organisational skills through time and self-management communication and collaboration with the supervisor information literacy, thinking and reflection

2

3

4

Criterion B: Define the goalNotes: The specifications created by the student, with the help of the supervisor, are used in criterion E to evaluate the product / outcome. Achievement Level Level descriptor The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below. The student: identifies the topic of interest, a focus area of interaction and a limited goal creates minimal specifications to evaluate the projects outcome / product or none at all. The student: outlines superficially the topic of interest, the focus area of interaction and an achievable goal creates specifications for evaluating the projects outcome / product, however they lack definition. The student: describes clearly the topic of interest, the focus area of interaction and an achievable and appropriately challenging goal creates satisfactory specifications for evaluating the projects outcome / product. The student: justifies effectively the topic of interest, the focus area of interaction and an achievable and appropriately challenging goal creates appropriately rigorous specifications for evaluating the projects outcome / product. -25-

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Criterion C: Select sourcesNotes: Students should select varied and relevant sources to achieve the goal. Evidence will beseen in the body of the report and the bibliography. Achievement Level Level descriptor The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below. The student: selects very few relevant sources to achieve the goal demonstrates minimal evaluation of sources. The student: selects some relevant sources to achieve the goal demonstrates some evaluation of sources. The student: selects a satisfactory variety of relevant sources to achieve the goal demonstrates satisfactory evaluation of sources. The student: selects a wide variety of relevant sources to achieve the goal demonstrates well-developed evaluation of sources.

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What is meant by fe w and wide variety ? You should use a go od number of source s of information and sources as you can. as many types of As a rough measure , five different varie interview, magazine, ties (book, web-site, newspaper, TV show , etc) should be enou gh.

Criterion D: Apply informationNotes: Students interpret the information from sources they have researched and selected. By thinking about the information, students develop a broader context for their inquiry; identify questions and issues for their project and solve problems. If students have researched information relating to techniques, which can be discussed in the context of this objective. Achievement Level Level descriptor The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below. The student demonstrates minimal: transfer and application of information to make decisions, create solutions and develop understandings in connection with the projects goal. The student demonstrates some: transfer and application of information to make decisions, create solutions and develop understandings in connection with the projects goal. The student demonstrates satisfactory: transfer and application of information to make decisions, create solutions and develop understandings in connection with the projects goal. The student demonstrates well-developed: transfer and application of information to make decisions, create solutions and develop understandings in connection with the projects goal. -26-

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Criterion E: Achieve the goalNotes: Students evaluate their product / outcome against the specifications developed for criterionB. The final level is determined in collaboration with the supervisor. If any changes were made to specification before the end of September then those changes should be explained. If the project is not completed then criterion E applies to the stage the project reached. This criterion is not adjusted in the external moderation process. Achievement Level Level descriptor The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below. The student evaluates the quality of the outcome / product. The outcome / product is of very limited quality and meets few of the specifications. The student evaluates the quality of the outcome / product. The outcome / product is of limited quality and meets some of the specifications. The student evaluates the quality of the outcome / product.


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The outcome / product is of satisfactory quality and meets many of the specifications. The student evaluates the quality of the outcome / product. The outcome / product is of high quality and meets most or all of the specifications.

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Criterion F: Reflect on learningNotes: This criterion addresses the quality of the ideas expressed, not the quality of the languageused. Achievement Level Level descriptor The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below. The student demonstrates minimal: reflection on how completing the project has extended his or her knowledge and understanding of the topic and focus area of interaction reflection on how he or she has developed as a learner by completing the project. The student demonstrates some: reflection on how completing the project has extended his or her knowledge and understanding of the topic and focus area of interaction reflection on how he or she has developed as a learner by completing the project. The student demonstrates satisfactory: reflection on how completing the project has extended his or her knowledge and understanding of the topic and focus area of interaction reflection on how he or she has developed as a learner by completing the project. The student demonstrates well-developed: reflection on how completing the project has extended his or her knowledge and understanding of the topic and focus area of interaction reflection on how he or she has developed as a learner by completing the project. -27-

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Criterion G: Report the projectNotes: This criterion will include judgments about presentation, writing conventions, mechanics,grammar, word choice, voice, audience, for example. Achievement Level Level descriptor The student has not reached a standard described by any of the descriptors given below. The student demonstrates: minimal organisation of the project report according to the required structure communication, which is rarely clear, coherent and concise and may not meet required limits inaccurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources or no acknowledgement of sources. The student demonstrates: some organisation of the project report according to the required structure communication, which is sometimes clear, coherent and concise and is within required limits some accurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources. The student demonstrates: satisfactory organisation of the project report according to the required structure communication, which is generally clear, coherent and concise and is within required limits generally accurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources. The student demonstrates: consistent organisation of the project report according to the required structure communication, which is clear, coherent and concise and is within required limits accurate accurate use of recognized conventions to acknowledge sources, possibly with minor errors.

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ed to? rt I need you read the guid my repo re ything in ecific. Make su ded ever p re I inclu l project is very s xx. be su page rsona w can I Ho e pe klist on ture of th the chec The struc and use page 20 ance on

Do I NEED to stick to the word limits? Yes - if you dont th en the maximum lev el you can achieve G is a 1! Remembe in criterion r, no more than 3500 words (not including bibliography or appe title page, ndices).

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Engaging with the Areas of InteractionYour personal project must have one (and only one) focus area of interaction. This must be justified for criterion B and you must reflect on how your understanding of the area of interaction has developed through your project for criterion F. This section includes, for each AoI, a set of sentences called Student Learning Expectations. You should be able to match at least one of these expectations from your focus AoI to your project. Apart from Approaches to Learning, every AoI is built around a version of the inquiry cycle. Expectations from any section can form the basis of a personal project, but those relating to action normally make good projects!What is sp ecial abou t Approach Your proje es to Learn ct can have ing? ATL as the oping tools AoI to assist pe ople with so focus - normally this However, e means dev me of the e ven if you elxpectation dont to make use s listed belo of, and dem chose ATL as your fo w. cus, you are completing onstrate, m any of the your proje expected ATL expec ct! tations wh ilst


Approaches to LearningHow do I learn best? How do I know? How do I communicate my understanding?OrganisatiOnTime management Self management

Identify and use a variety of time management skills to use class time effectively and keep to deadlines. Identify, assess and use available resources to complete tasks. Make informed decisions with regard to academic and life choices.

COllabOratiOnWorking in groups Adapt to and take responsibility for roles in a group. Contribute meaningfully to class discussions and encourage sharing of ideas. Delegate when leading Accepting others Objectively evaluate and synthesise other peoples ideas to arrive at novel solutions. Predict and identify challanges that will be faced before they are encountered. Identify and evaluate a range of solutions. Personal challenges Identify and overcome personal challenges. Respect, know and value cultural differences. Negotiate goals with peers and teachers.

COmmuniCatiOnLiteracy Being informed Informing others Evaluate and apply a range of comprehension strategies to extract meaning from various sources. Identify, evaluate, select and use available sources and media to acquire information responsibly. Structure ideas and arguments, both orally and in writing, in a sustained and logical way supporting them with relevant examples. Show awareness of the need for an effective choice of register suited to the audience.

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infOrmatiOn literaCyAccessing information Selecting and organising information Referencing Select and appropriately use a range of media and technologies to research, select, record, interpret and communicate information / data. Identify primary and secondary sources of information in a variety of contexts. Identify key questions, points of view, problems and issues from a wide range of primary and secondary sources. Critically evaluate the values and limitations of sources. Use in-text referencing and a bibliography to clearly document sources of information, using appropriate conventions. Reflect critically, and receive feedback constructively, on their own development and learning, and identify strategies to develop and improve. Evaluate the achieved results in terms of the initial goal of the project / piece of work. Self-evaluation Where appropriate, suggest ways in which a project could have been approached from different perspectives. Generate several feasible ideas, solutions or products and communicate them using appropriate forms and conventions. Select one idea, solution or product and justify its choice. Planning Construct a plan to realise an idea, solution or product that has a series of logical steps and makes effective use of resources and time. Evaluate a plan and justify any modifications. Inquiring Define and formulate a problem or research question to be answered. Design inquiries that include logical steps to be followed and specify information / data to be collected. Collect, analyse, select, organise and evaluate information. Know when and how to take action in order to complete an open-ended investigation. Demonstrate problem-solving, critical and creative thinking skills through the application of the inquiry / design cycle. Applying knowledge Select and apply appropriate inquiry and problem-solving techniques. Apply a range of skills, techniques and processes to create, perform and / or present consistently and effectively. Apply knowledge and concepts to solve problems in familiar and unfamiliar situations consistently and effectively Formulate clear, valid and sound arguments, make balanced judgments, and draw conclusions, including implications, based on information from unfamiliar sources. Make well-substantiated decisions and relate them to real-world concepts. Creating novel situations Develop an idea, theme, personal interpretation or novel solution to a point of realisation. Produce novel solutions through the application of the inquiry / design cycle.

refleCtiOnSelf-awareness

thinkingGenerating ideas

transferMaking connections Inquiring in different contexts Consistently use knowledge, understanding and skills to make connections across subjects to create effective products or solutions in unfamiliar situations. Select and apply appropriate inquiry and problem-solving techniques in different contexts to gain a variety of perspectives.

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refleCtiOnAttitudes Responsiblities Understand that a compassionate attitude on cultural and global levels allows for genuine responses to a communitys needs. Reflect on responsiblities as a global citizen and develop strategies to address identified global needs. Appreciate the cultural and social diversity of communities and the impact of their interaction on the global community.

awareness and understandingThe concept of community

Individuals in communities Be aware of an individuals role in effecting change and recognise that their attitude and / or actions can stimulate others. Different communities Appreciate the complexity of systems in a society and understand how they affect each other. Develop a personal strategy that will allow one to take action independently. Apply knowledge and skills learned in the different subject areas to seek ways to resolve issues within global communities.ON

invOlvement thrOugh serviCeCommunity involvement Behaviour and ethics

refleCtiOnOur responsibilities to our environments Modelling with virtual environments The roles environments play in our lives Effects of one environment on another Effects of our actions, attitudes and constructs Physical, social, political, economic and cultural dimensions Local and international organisations Organisational policies Explore and analyse the long-term and wide-ranging impact of human actions on our environments. Analyse and evaluate the role of technology, and how it affects our understanding of environments. Analyse a range of diverse environments and how these impact our lives. Evaluate the effects of one environment on another. Evaluate the effects of human actions, attitudes and constructs on the environment. Explain and justify some of the relationships that exist between physical, economic and cultural aspects of environments. Distinguish and explain the nature and role of local and international organisations responsible for protecting natural environments. Explain and evaluate the relationships between decisions to take action on one environment, and its impact on other environments. Research, devise and advocate for a position, and develop an action plan on a specific issue related to environments. -31-

awareness and understanding

taking aCtiOn OnIssues related to environments

ACTION

What are our environments? What resources do we have or need? What are my responsibilities

REFLEC TI

Environments

ACTION

How do we live in relation to each other? How can I contribute to the community? How can I help others?

REFLEC TI

Community and Service


ON

UND EDING TAN RS

UND EDING TAN RS


refleCtiOnUnderstanding ourselves Looking after ourselves Begin to develop a clear sense of self. Begin to develop habits based on a clear understanding of good hygiene and health. Defend and advocate a stance on a particular issue. Analyse and discuss the dynamics of different relationships.

awareness and understandingOurselves in the wider society

making ChOiCesBehaviour and ethics Understanding ourselves Looking after ourselves Analyse ethical social issues, and make personal choices that you stand by and / or advocate. Identify, analyse and evaluate wide-ranging and long term effects of choices, and exhibit accountability for decisions and actions. Consistently practice healthy habits that reflect personal lifestyle choices.

Bibliography Style Sheet - MLA 7th edition (very, very brief Source Book Newspaper article Format Author. Title of book. City of publication: publisher, year. Print. Author. Title of Article. Name of Newspaper Date, edition: Page(s). Print.

summary)

Example Brinley, Alan. The Unfinished Nation. New York: Knopf, 1993. Print.

Daranciang, Nelson. Native Lands, Foreign Rights? Honolulu Star-Bulletin 8 Apr. 2004, night final ed.: A3. Print. Magazine Author. Title of Article. Name Talcott, Richard. Great Comets. article of Magazine Date, Page(s). Astronomy May 2004: 36 - 41. Print. Print. DVD record- Title. Director, Producer and/ No Country for Old Men. Dir. ings or writer. Medium. Distributor, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen . Perf. Year. DVD. Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. Paramount, 2007. DVD. Interviews Person Interviewed. Type of Nakamura, Michael. Personal inInterview (personal, telephone, terview. 23 July 2004. email, etc.). Date. The Web Author. Page Title. Site Title. Boerner, Steve. Leopold Mozart. known author Sponsoring Organisation, Date The Moza rt Project: Biography. created. Web. Date accessed. Mozart Project. 21 Mar. 1998. Web. 30 Oct. 2010. The Web Page Title. Site Title. Sponsor- State of the Birds. Audu bon. Na- group or ing Organisation, Date created. tional Audubon Society, 2008. Web. organisation Web. Date accessed. 19 Aug. 2010.-32-

ACTION

How do I think and act? How am I changing? How can I look after myself and others?

REFLEC TI

Health and Social Education

ON

UND EDING TAN RS

Why and how do we create? What are the consequencesrefleCtiOnImpact of innovation and creation Products in context Ways of thinking Ranges of systems, solutions and products The meaning of ingenious

REFLEC TI

Human Ingenuity


ON

UND EDING TAN RS

Analyse and make judgments on the impact of innovation and creation on individuals, communities, societies and the world from both positive and negative aspects. Critique and / or justify the creation of a product within a variety of complex contexts Analyse, evaluate and discuss various considerations behind a creation or innovation. Deliberate and make judgments on the use and consequences of systems, solutions and products created by humans. Explain and justify an understanding of the term ingenious, and argue how it relates to human creativity.

awareness and understanding

Range of systems, solutions Evaluate a variety of systems, solutions and products that can be used and products in various situations against criteria developed individually or collaboratively. Processes involved Deconstruct and evaluate the processes involved in innovation, creation, development and change, in their original context, and assess their applicability in a different context. Identify the contexts in which individuals create, develop, and change ideas and products, and discuss how these contexts define the motives behind their actions. Evaluate the applicability of an existing system or product to address problems within a given context, suggesting modifications as necessitated by the context. Create complex solutions and products to solve identified problems, drawing from interdisciplinary approaches. Produce and justify ideas that demonstrate imagination, artistic capability and resourcefulness, evaluate and justify issues and problems from multiple perspectives, drawing from interdisciplinary approaches.

Individual desire

Change over time

taking aCtiOnCreation

What is in-text citation? rmation The location where you use any info be marked taken from outher sources should locate the with an identifier to help the reader normally done source in the bibliography. This is ckets, examby placing the authors name in bra citation to ple: (Dawkins). You must use in-text do well in criterion G. tions and How can I get more help with cita bibliography? . www.easyThere are some great websites, e.g re help! bib.com - see the librarian for mo

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ACTION


Project Report CStudent Name

hecklist

Title page

Title of the projec t Length (word count, School Name Year The goal Selection of sourc Application of in Achieving the go Reflection on lea Bibliography Process journal e xtracts (10 - 20 entries) 3500 max)

Body of the report

es

formation

al

rning

Appendices

Important d

_______ l: _________ osa Project Prop _________ ons: _______ pecificati _________ Completed S ted: _______ ome comple oduct / Outc Pr __________ port: ______ ct Re _______ Draft of Proje n: _________ rt submissio Project Repo _______ n: _________ Exhibitio-34-

ates:

SSIS_Personal_Project_Student_Guide.pdf

Documents

Transcript of SSIS_Personal_Project_Student_Guide.pdf