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M H J H   M e d i a   C e n t e r

 
Teachers:
 
bullet Are you frustrated by the quality of work you receive on research projects?
bullet Are students disinterested?
bullet Do they lack the skills for developing a topic, formulating a thesis statement, conducting research, taking notes, creating an outline, writing a draft, documenting, and putting the project together for presentation?
 
Roadmap to GREAT research projects
Avoid speed bumps by creating
  • assignments that matter
  • activities that involve
  • clear assessment tools
  • positive attitudes

Assignments that matter characteristics:

  • clarity of purpose & expectation
  • choices for students
  • relevant to the student's life
  • stress higher level thinking skills & creativity
  • answer real questions
Activities that involve:
  • a variety of information finding activities
  • hands-on opportunities
  • the use of technology which can be exciting for many students
  • formats that use multiple senses
  • complexity but are broken into manageable steps
  • collaborative learning
Assessment:
  • clear & detailed expectation
  • clear & detailed rubric
  • give samples & examples of quality work
  • no surprises
  • share with others
  • allow the learner to reflect, revisit, revise, & improve their project

 
Attitude (teacher attitude, that is) is Everything:
  • Teachers & media staff is comfortable with a loss of control, the final product, and "correct" answers.
  • Willingness to accept active rather than passive students.
  • Recognize that given enough time, resources, & motivation, all students are capable of high performance.
  • The learning and research process rather than the particular subject area is usually most important.
  • Teacher enthusiasm is essential.
  • Recognize that things don't always work the first time.

On to page 2 of Designing Research Activities
 
Sources:

Johnson, Doug.  "Designing Projects Students (and Teachers) Love.  http://doug-johnson.com/pres.html