Introduction to the Personal Project

What is the Personal Project? The Personal Project is an individual project completed in the 10th grade . It consist of three main components: Process Journal Your Project Written Summary

Why Do a Personal Project? The personal project provides you an opportunity to demonstrate the skills you have learned during your MYP years. You choose your own topic You will enjoy learning about your topic as you research and develop your product The skills you develop will be helpful in writing your Extended Essay (IB Diploma)

What are the Aims of the Personal Project? Demonstrate the personal abilities and skills required to produce and present and extended piece of work Engage in personal inquiry, action and reflection on specific topics and issues Focus on, and demonstrate an understanding of, Approaches to Learning and one of the areas of interaction Reflect on learning and share knowledge, views and opinions

What are the Objectives of the Personal Project? Planning and Development Students should: Identify a clear and achievable goal Describe and justify a focus on the chosen area(s) of interaction Describe the steps followed to achieve the stated goal Adhere to the stated goal throughout the project

What are the Objectives of the Personal Project? B. Collection of Information/Resources Students should: Select and utilize adequate, varied resources Identify and use relevant information critically Acknowledge sources of information appropriately

What are the Objectives of the Personal Project? Choice and Application of Techniques Students should: Choose techniques relevant to the project’s goal Justify their selection Apply techniques consistently and effectively

What are the Objectives of the Personal Project? D. Analysis of Information Students should: Analyze the information in terms of the goal and the focus of the project Express personal thought Support arguments with evidence Respond thoughtfully to ideas and inspiration

What are the Objectives of the Personal Project? Organization of Written Work Students should: Organize their work in a coherent manner according to the required structure Present information clearly Present references, bibliography and symbolic representations appropriately

What are the Objectives of the Personal Project? Analysis of the Process and Outcome Students should: Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the project at different stages of development Where appropriate, suggest ways in which the project could have been tackled differently Assess the achieved results in terms of the initial goal and the focus on the chosen area(s) of interaction Show awareness of the overall perspectives related to the chosen topic or piece of work

What are the Objectives of the Personal Project? G. Personal Engagement Students should: Meet deadlines Follow agreed procedures and work plans Make appropriate use of a Process Journal Show initiative, enthusiasm and commitment to the task

What Type of Personal Project Can I Do? Your Personal Project should be: Personal, original, individual, something in which you have a genuine interest Guided by an area of interaction

What Type of Personal Project Can I Do? Your Personal Project should not be: Part of an assessed school course work, bound by any specific subject So big that it destroys your social or academic life

What type of Personal Project Can I Do? The Product can be: Creative product Community project Experiment Composition

What type of Personal Project Can I Do? A Few Product Ideas to Get You Started Original work of art/music/drama Original science experiment Presentation of a special event Presentation of a new student/community organization Presentation of a developed business, management or organizational plan Invention or specially designed object/system Piece of literary fiction

What type of Personal Project Can I Do? Some successful examples of projects include . . . Designing a beach chair/trolley Design a program to teach 4th graders a special skill Learn how you can support a disabled person be physically active Create an audio library to show how different types of music are used in advertising Design a website for Habitat for Humanity Create a mural about poverty in Chicago Organize a fundraiser to support a women’s shelter

What type of Personal Project Can I Do? Some examples of unsuccessful projects include . . . Terrorism (don’t write a book)  why not write a play from the point of view of the “freedom fighter”? How to solve Tanzania’s national debt (turned in at 40, 000 words (much too large for a personal project; also may lack “personal” connection!) why not design, plan, and implement a new solution to help the poor in Chicago, etc.

Components of the Personal Project Product The product will take the form of either a creative or technological product or service action. It should not be an essay.

Components of the Personal Project Process Journal You will need to maintain a detailed record of your progress, reflections and plans in a Process Journal At the end of the project you will be asked to summarize your notes from your Process Journal into a written summary.

Components of the Personal Project Written Summary The written summary will follow a prescribed general structure, and will include the following elements: Title Page Table of Contents Introduction– defining the goal of the project and an explicit focus on the chosen area of interaction. Description of the Process—production steps, the characteristics, aspects or components of the work

Components of the Personal Project Written Summary The written summary will follow a prescribed general structure, and will include the following elements: Analysis of Inspiration– research and influences guiding the work, the findings and decisions made, the resulting product and the process in terms of the goal and its focus on the area of interaction chosen Conclusion—where the student reflects on the impact of her project, and on new perspectives that could be considered Bibliography—in proper format Appendices—where appropriate

Components of the Personal Project Written Summary The Assessment of your Personal Project is based on your Written Summary. Length of the Written Summary Must not exceed 4000 words

How Do I Start? Attend the Introduction to the Personal Project Session Read and discuss the assessment criteria for the project Begin recording information in your Process Journal Update your process journal weekly regarding your progress Brainstorm and find a topic that is interesting to you Begin to narrow your topic and begin developing a goal and your product

Areas of Interaction See Personal Project Guide (p. 9)

What do the 5 areas of interaction mean? 25

AoI: Approaches to learning (ATL) Through ATL, teachers provide students with tools to: take responsibility for their own learning develop awareness of how they learn best develop problem solving and decision making skills develop awareness of thought process and learning strategies. develop critical, coherent and independent thought. 26

AoI: Community and service This component extends learning beyond the classroom and requires students to: take an active part in the communities in which they live, thereby encouraging responsible citizenship develop a sense of responsibility develop skills to make an effective contribution to society develop community awareness and concern. 27

AoI: Human ingenuity (homo faber) Students explore in multiple ways the processes and products of human creativity to: appreciate and develop the human capacity to influence, transform, enjoy and improve the quality of life explore relationships between science, aesthetics, technology and leads students to examine, experience and reflect on the creative process. 28

AoI: Environment. Aims to develop awareness of humanity’s interdependence with the environment so that students: accept responsibility for maintaining an environment fit for the future understand local and global environmental issues make decisions on environmental situations understand political and economic environmental issues. 29

AoI: Health and social education. Aims to educate the whole person dealing with physical, social and emotional health and intelligence—key aspects of development leading to complete and healthy lives. Students will: develop skills and knowledge to make informed choices become aware of potential hazards take responsibility for their own well-being take responsibility for their social environment understand the relationship between the individual and society. 30

Important Dates Phase 1 completed, show to your supervisor: June-July 2009 Due September 14, 2009 Phase 1 completed, show to your supervisor: A clearly written goal The context for your choice A clear justification for your focus area of interaction A detailed plan on how you aim to achieve your goal September 2009 October 1, 2009 Phase 2 completed, show to your supervisor: Summary of your research information (what have you found?) A full bibliography showing at least five different kinds of appropriate resources A mind map showing how and where you will use your research to justify your •Techniques chosen •Creation of product •Support and develop your Area of Interaction focus.

Phase 3 completed, show to your supervisor: October 2008 Due November 2, 2009 Phase 3 completed, show to your supervisor: Justification of technique(s) chosen to create your product Development of personal thought based on your research and process of creation Development of your understanding of your focus Area of Interaction based on your research and creation process. November 2009 December 4, 2009 Phase 4 completed, show to your supervisor: In the appendix photographic evidence of the finished product and the process with clear labels and captions Analysis of the information that you have found through your research. Analysis of the whole process Evaluation of product Meet the supervisor regularly. December 11, 2009 Phase 5 completed, give to the Personal Project Coordinator: Hand in first Draft January 25. 2009 Phase 6 completed, give to the Personal Project Coordinator: Hand in the Personal Project and the project report.