One instructor I work with said this recently:<\/p>\n
I like that idea!\u00a0So\u00a0then students can\u00a0start their project early on, get some classmates\u2019\u00a0comments, and\u00a0submit\u00a0their\u00a0final version<\/i>\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
This response came after we spent some time discussing the challenge that\u00a0comes with a term project that gets\u00a0submitted\u00a0as a one-time assignment at the end of\u00a0the\u00a0term.<\/p>\n
Some instructors express interest\u00a0and concerns about\u00a0developing a term project\u00a0and how to implement it in an asynchronous course.\u00a0A project can be\u00a0a great opportunity\u00a0for\u00a0engaging students\u00a0with the content, learning\u00a0from and with peers, and applying\u00a0the concepts they learn in more practical\u00a0and hands-on activities; and for it to be clear and well-implemented, it needs structure.\u00a0However, it is not always clear for some instructors how the project could be\u00a0spread out\u00a0through the term in ways that allow students to move steadily and how to support them in each step of the project. Concerns about the implementation also relate\u00a0about how to allow space for students to learn from one another through feedback that is effective. This\u00a0blog describes how to structure and scaffold an individual project\u00a0to offer students options to connect topics to their own\u00a0interest\u00a0and engage in peer feedback.<\/p>\n
Project Overview and Goals<\/h1>\n
When I collaborate with instructors in developing this kind of assignment, we spend quite some time reviewing the project\u00a0goal\u00a0and details, brainstorming ideas for the milestones students will need to\u00a0accomplish, the timeline, and\u00a0the delivery of\u00a0the final product.<\/p>\n
The structure of the term\u00a0may\u00a0not always\u00a0be\u00a0evident\u00a0from the start. A few questions that can guide the development of a term project\u00a0that I ask instructors\u00a0include:<\/p>\n
\n
- What is the overall goal of the project?<\/li>\n
- Is this an individual or a collaborative activity?<\/li>\n
- What will students need to create at the end of the term (e.g., report, presentation,\u00a0collage)?<\/li>\n
- How do students get started with it?<\/li>\n
- What are the opportunities through the term to seek feedback?<\/li>\n
- Are there resources needed to support this kind of activity?<\/li>\n
- How many stages does the project include?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The last question in the list above sometimes puzzles some instructors. The\u00a0term\u00a0project may not have been conceived as a set of multiple stages; instead, it is often a one-time, final assignment students need to turn in\u00a0during\u00a0finals\u00a0week. Students may not get feedback or if they do, it\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0be actionable since there is no opportunity\u00a0to\u00a0revise and resubmit\u00a0the project\u00a0after they\u00a0submit\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
In contrast, a\u00a0multi-stage assignment may help students get the work done more steadily, in small portions, potentially helping them to manage the course load more effectively, and creating a project that shows how students apply what they learn.\u00a0To respond to the need to reenvision the term project as a robust and structured activity that allows students to build their knowledge and skills step-by-step, instructors can resort the\u00a0Transparent Assignment Design\u00a0Framework<\/span><\/a><\u00a0(TAD) and adapt it to design a term\u00a0project.\u00a0This framework is helpful in designing activities to promote\u00a0student\u00a0success and equity.<\/p>\n
Adapted TAD for Term Projects<\/h1>\n
An adapted version of the TAD framework\u00a0involves considerations such as structure (the core of TAD), scaffolding, resources, and evaluation. These considerations are described in the following sections.<\/p>\n
Structure<\/h2>\n
Structure provides the connection and organization among all the elements of the project, from the goal to its deliverable. A clear project structure\u00a0provides students with a better understanding\u00a0of the value\u00a0that\u00a0the project brings to their learning, the stages it involves, the\u00a0expectations\u00a0to meet,\u00a0the time and planning,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0resources needed to complete it.\u00a0For setting up the structure of a project,\u00a0you will need to perform two types of thinking:<\/p>\n
\n
- \u201cthink\u00a0backwards\u201d and\u00a0determine\u00a0how\u00a0will students\u00a0arrive\u00a0to\u00a0the final product and what resources or smaller\u00a0tasks\u00a0they will need to complete for that purpose. This design strategy can help you\u00a0identify\u00a0the number of parts or stages the project will need to include.<\/li>\n
- \u201cthink\u00a0laterally\u201d and\u00a0determine\u00a0what content and activities in the term can support a particular stage or part of the project. This design strategy can help you balance the work for students (and for you as well when\u00a0grading!)\u00a0in each weekly module, align the project with the learning outcomes, and\u00a0identify\u00a0scaffolding mechanisms.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
For example, the structure for a term project about theories of learning may include:<\/p>\n
\n
- Topic proposal<\/li>\n
- Outline<<\/li>\n
- Annotated bibliography<\/li>\n
- Major scholarly works in conversations<\/li>\n
- S***\u00a0First Draft (it comes from the work of Anne Lamott,\u00a0Bird by Bird<\/i><\/a><\/li>\n
- Peer review<\/li>\n
- Revised draft\/final revised version<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Scaffolding<\/h2>\n
Scaffolding<\/a> is\u00a0the support and guidance that students\u00a0received\u00a0along the project tasks\u00a0or stages. This mechanism allows students to complete more manageable pieces without getting confused\u00a0or overwhelmed. Scaffolding can be provided through a\u00a0set of tasks, from simple to more complex,\u00a0sequencing\u00a0them more cohesively. Through scaffolding, students\u00a0may\u00a0feel confident\u00a0of\u00a0their learning process and eventually complete tasks more independently. In the example above, the scaffolding for the proposal\u00a0(step 1)\u00a0and the annotated bibliography\u00a0(step 3)\u00a0could include the following guidance and support:<\/p>\n
\n
- Step 1:\u00a0Topic proposal:\n
\n
- Provide students with a list of broader ideas to get started or a list of topics that meet the expectations and are aligned with the outcomes<\/li>\n
- In addition, offer students\u00a0an option\u00a0where they select a topic on their own and seek instructor feedback\/approval.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Step 3:\u00a0Annotated bibliography\n
\n
- Provide guidance on the scholarly sources, format, and citation style<\/li>\n
- In addition, give students an example as a point of reference<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Additionally, consider the content and other course activities that can support the project (lateral thinking). For example, ask yourself:<\/p>\n
\n
- What are other activities\/assignments in the week\/module?<\/li>\n
- Do any of these activities relate closely to a project stage? If so, how that activity could provide students with a thinking exercise that allows them to connect the concepts in the project? (e.g., a discussion activity could engage students in exploring multiple perspectives, resource sharing, or idea exploration that they can incorporate in the outline or first draft of the project)<\/li>\n
- Do any of the course activities overlap with a project stage? If so, can they be merged and deepened to help students meet the intended outcomes?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Evaluation<\/h2>\n
With any kind of graded activity, it is also important to provide students with clear information about how their project and its stages will be evaluated.\u202fThe criteria for evaluating the project will help students understand more clearly the expectations and their level of quality. These criteria can be provided at each stage of the project, if each stage will be evaluated or graded separately. For the example above, the evaluation can include:<\/span><\/p>\n
\n
- Checklist for expectations<\/li>\n
- Example of a good quality project<\/li>\n
- Grading criteria (a rubric or guidelines that describe performance levels)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In short, when implementing a project in your course, think about it as a pleasant, fun journey rather than a challenging odyssey filled with hardships where students struggle trying to figure out what to do next.<\/p>\n
Oh\u2026you may be wondering about the instructor and their project idea that I mentioned\u00a0at the beginning of this blog?\u00a0Well, the project is well-structured with several small, manageable tasks (e.g., discussions, individual assignments, peer review) each week that help students build the project, one step at a time.\u202fThe instructor is satisfied with the project structure and is eager to get that implemented in the course next term!<\/p>\n
Do you have a project idea for your course? How are you thinking about its structure and deliverables? What kinds of guidance are you considering\u00a0including?\u202fI would love to hear what ideas you have!<\/p>\n
AI disclosure<\/i>: No AI tool was used for the planning, drafting, or revisions of this blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One instructor I work with said this recently: I like that idea!\u00a0So\u00a0then students can\u00a0start their project early on, get some classmates\u2019\u00a0comments, and\u00a0submit\u00a0their\u00a0final version\u201d This response came after we spent some time discussing the challenge that\u00a0comes with a term project that gets\u00a0submitted\u00a0as a one-time assignment at the end of\u00a0the\u00a0term. Some instructors express interest\u00a0and concerns about\u00a0developing a… Continue reading