Activity 7.6

Step 2: Creating Your Own Project Description and Research Question

Review the following components for creating a Project Description.

• Set up an authentic problem, significant question, or real-life scenario

• Explain why the project or problem is worthy of study

• Define what your learners will try to solve, produce, respond to, test, recommend, or find out

• Describe what learners will be required to decide, prioritize, negotiate, or seek consensus

• Use age-appropriate language that makes the topic engaging and interesting

Consider the following questions as you develop a Project Description that reflects your project:

• Does the project engage the learners' interest? Will it motivate them to pursue and explore the concepts deeply?

• Is the project cast in a context familiar to the learners? Is it based on a real-world situation, scenario, or controversy?

• Is the project staged well? Is the project developed so that learner interest builds?

• Is the information provided adequate to solve the questions of the project? Is too much information provided? Too little?

• Does the complexity and length of the project warrant and support working collaboratively?

• Is the problem or scenario of the project open-ended, which will provide different entry points and paths for your learners? 

• Does the project challenge learners to use higher-order thinking skills?
  
  Modified from: "Guidelines for Reviewers."
  Problem-Based Learning Clearinghouse. University of Delaware.

Draft Your Project Ideas

1. Open your Project Plan.

2. Review your Curriculum-Framing Questions. Consider how your learners’ work with Seeing Reason could help to support your Focus questions.

3. Review your Project Priorities.

4. Preview the project Reflection Checklist.

Note: You may also want to review the Project Rubric

5. Use this draft project description worksheet to draft the Project Description and Research Question for your map or type them directly into your Project Plan.

Next: Proceed to Step 3 of Activity 7.6