Project Design

Where do you start?
  • Start with a "Big Idea"
  • Determine the amount of instructional time you are willing to devote to the project
  • Determine the resources available to you
  • Create some main goals of the project
  • Determine how you will assess student learning
  • Schedule resources and make necessary arrangements
  • Create resources and materials

Project Implementation

At the beginning of the 9 weeks, the teacher told students they would be learning about social injustice for the quarter. The following is a break down of the project time line.

Weeks 1 &2: The teacher taught students about social injustice.
Week 3 day 1: Students were introduced to the project.
  • They were given the project choices, and they chose their topics and products.
  • Students were given rubrics for the products they chose.
Week 3 day 2: Students were given a folder with information about their topic.
  • Students chose an issue and were approved by their teacher.
  • Example: Topic-Darfur, deeper issue: children in Darfur.
Week 3 days 3, 4, 5: Students tweaked their topics and product ideas. Students further researched using books and computers.
Weeks 4-6: Students conducted research and worked on products.
Week 7: Students completed products.
Week 8: Students presented projects. Students also provided feedback for each other during their presentations. The teacher typed this and returned it to students to improve for their next presentation.
Week 9: Teacher assessed student projects using appropriate rubrics.

Faculty's role

Teacher's role:The teacher organized and found information, found appropriate resources, and submitted requests for materials. The teacher facilitated student learning daily within the classroom, only stepping in when students could not figure out an answer. The teacher encouraged students to find information on their own or to collaborate with their peers. The teacher also encouraged the utilization of  tutorials and "playing" with different software programs as a form of learning how to use technology.


Technology Facilitator's role:The technology facilitator collaborated with the teacher and media specialist in designing and planning the project. The technology facilitator also scheduled computer time and made sure all technology resources were available to students throughout the project. The technology facilitator introduced the different software and hardware to students, showed the students where and how to find information, and helped students set up their web sites.

Media Specialist's role: The media specialist collaborated in planning the project, gathered resources, and provided guidance to students while they were working on their project. The media specialist also began the unit by teaching the students about what social injustice is, examining resources for validity, and properly citing and referencing any resources used.

N.C. Standard Course of Study Connections

Because of the nature of the project, the majority of the standards within the North Carolina Standard Course of Study were addressed during the 9 week period in which it was implemented. Based on the "discovery" and "exploratory" role that students took while participating, it is difficult to say whether all students covered all of the listed goals and objectives. However, based on the student research and products, we believe that the majority of the students met all of the objectives in the attached document.
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