1. The Personal Project

2.  Select a topic of personal interest  Work independently toward a solution to a worthwhile problem  Focus project through an area of interaction  Document your process  Structure the project report appropriately  Respect word and/or time limits for the report  Fulfill ethical and academic honesty requirements Expectations

3. Your final personal project grade is determined by equal evaluations of:  Process Journal  Final Product  Written Report Final Evaluation

4.  Demonstrates organizational skills showing time and self-management  Demonstrates communication and collaboration with the supervisor  Demonstrates information literacy, thinking, and reflection Evaluated during EVERY STAGE of the Design Cycle Criterion A: Use the process journal

5.  Begun at the start of the process and used throughout  A place for planning  A place for recording interactions with sources  A place for storing and exploring useful info & ideas  A place for reflection on stages of the project  A place for evaluating work  Devised by the student in a format that suits individual needs  Used when receiving formative feedback  Used by the student to produce the project report Process Journal IS…

6.  Used on a daily basis (unless this is useful)  Written after the process has been completed  Additional work on top of the project (it is part of the project and supports it)  A diary with detailed writing about what was done  A static document with only one format Process Journal IS NOT…

7.  Identify and explain a topic based on personal interest  Justify one focus area of interaction as a context for the project  Outline a clear, achievable, challenging goal  Create specifications that will be used to evaluate the project’s outcome / product Evaluated during the INVESTIGATE phase Criterion B: Define the goal

8.  Select varied, relevant sources to achieve the goal  Validate and evaluate sources  Follow bibliography format Very good = 15 or more Very good = 15 or more Good = 14 – 11 Good = 14 – 11 Fair = 10 – 6 Fair = 10 – 6 Weak = 5 or less Weak = 5 or less Evaluated during the INVESTIGATE & DESIGN phases Criterion C: Select sources

9.  Transfer and apply information to make decisions, create solutions, and develop understandings in connection with the project’s goal and specifications  Submit a portfolio which includes student guides, process journal, and formative evaluations  Explain how information and techniques were used to solve the problem Evaluated during the DESIGN & CREATE phases Criterion D: Apply information

10.  Evaluate the outcome / project against the students’ own specifications for success Evaluated during the EVALUATE phase Criterion E: Achieve the goal

11.  Reflect on how completing the project has extended your knowledge and understanding of the topic and the focus area of interaction  Reflect on how you have developed as a learner by completing the project Evaluated during the EVALUATE phase Criterion F: Reflect on learning

12.  Organize the project report according to the required structure  Communicate clearly, coherently, and concisely within required limits  Acknowledge sources according to recognized conventions Evaluated during the EVALUATE phase Criterion G: Report the project

13. MENTOR MEETINGS Students are expected to attend 5 mandatory mentor meetings according to the following schedule: Meeting #1: In the first 2 weeks of school in September Meeting #2: In the week following the completion of the Design phase Meeting #3: In the week following the completion of the Plan phase Meeting #4: In the week following the completion of the Create phase Meeting #5: In the week following the completion of the Evaluation In addition to these mandatory meetings, students are free to schedule additional informal mentor meetings when required.

14. TOPICS  Your personal project must be an independent attempt to solve a challenging but realistic problem  Begin by thinking about topics and issues that interest you  Consider some of the problems associated with these topics and issues  Choose one problem that you will then attempt to address through your personal project  Identify which area of interaction applies to this topic  Some helpful words when defining an appropriate goal: “I will create something to: CONVINCE / HELP / INFORM / CHANGE / SOLVE / IMPROVE / PERSUADE, etc.”

15.  Topic: “I am very interested in fishing”  Problem: “The population of small-mouth bass in Lake Champlain is shrinking because of over-fishing”  Project: “I will create something to convince 80% of the members of the Lake Champlain Fishing Club to adopt catch and release practices.”  AOI: Environments Some examples:

16.  Topic: “I am very interested in animals”  Problem: “Too many unwanted dogs are being put to sleep in Montreal”  Project: “I will create something to convince 20 potential dog-owners to adopt a dog from a local animal adoption organization instead of buying one from the pet store”  AOI: Community & Service Some examples: