Purpose: To design inspiring projects that meet learning results/project goals, including by clarifying steps. A detailed planning form is included in each Google Drive Educator Guide (see the Plan tab). This page is designed for easy reviewing.
1. Explore possibilities
Possible starting points (see the Service Projects page)
- Activity types
- Communities to work with
- Topics
- Organizations
Do online or other initial research to learn about
- Key concepts related to the issue
- Community characteristics
- Terms used by people working in the area
- Past or ongoing non-profit or governmental initiatives related to the issue
Check with sources of ideas and feedback (not all may apply; click links for recommended interview questions):
- Other learners or advisors who’ve done similar work
- One or more community leaders
- A representative of a potential partner organization
- Potential advisors (for learners seeking them)
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Request a Project Drive Guide (in Google Drive) so we can provide customized support for no charge
2. Plan the project
Recommended components:
- Basic information (e.g., topic, focus, project type)
- Team/people involved
- Academic/course integration (e.g., main course ideas to be applied)
- Learning outcomes (learning results, goals, objectives)
- Learner skills to build or check before starting (e.g., active learning and reflection)
- Resources (e.g., materials) needed
- Project timeline with key dates (e.g., for a final presentation, if included)
- Advising support (e.g., check-in frequency)
- Recording/reporting (on project experiences) plan
- Reflection plan
- Assessment and evaluation plans
- Any deliverables/products to come out of it
- Impact extension (e.g., sharing results) plan
- Learner-driven projects: to a likely advisor
- Projects with organization partners: to an organization representative
- Complete a full plan form (in Google Drive)
- Have people involved complete participant commitment checklists