[MYP Personal project]

The personal project is a chance for a student to do what he/she wants to do. It is a product of student’s own initiative and reflects his/her overall experience of the MYP. It provides an opportunity to investigate a topic of interest (RESEARCH), produce a creative piece of work of student’s choice (PRODUCT/OUTCOME) and reflect on the project process (PROJECT REPORT) to demonstrate the new knowledge, skills developed in approaches of learning, and to show an understanding in areas of global context.

[Aims of the project]

  • engage in personal inquiry on issues that are relevant within one global context

  • generate creative new insights and develop deeper understandings through in-depth investigation

  • demonstrate the approaches to learning skills, attitudes and knowledge required to complete a project over an extended period of time

  • demonstrate responsible action through, or as a result of, learning

  • reflect on the process of learning and take pride in one’s accomplishment

[Why?] The Personal Project is a mandatory project in the Middle Years Programme. It is an opportunity to explore a topic of interest, to demonstrate ATL skills, take action and to create something unique.

[Who?] The student is responsible for the Personal Project. However, each student will be assigned an adult supervisor who will be available to offer advice and guidance.

[What?] A student completes independent study over an extended period of approximately 6-8 months following the Design cycle matching the project objectives. The students demonstrates the ATL (approaches to learning) skills, which are included in the project objectives as well as in the assessment criteria. The student produces items, undergoes assessment and interacts with an adult supervisor.

A student creates three items:

  1. A process journal

  2. A product or outcome

  3. A project report

[The Process Journal] The process journal is the record of students’ involvement and progress in the Personal Project process. It should record ideas, planning, sources, meeting schedules and outcomes with the supervisor, useful information e.g. quotes, photographs, ideas – whatever is part of the process should be kept in this document.

[The Product or Outcome] The product students create is how they show what they have investigated and achieved for their goal. This might be the actual product such as a model, electronic article, website, film, artwork or it might be visuals of the outcome such as photographs of an event organised.

[The Project Report] The project report is a reflective summary of students’ experience of the personal project. Using no more than 3500 words students describe and reflect on their experience. Extracts from the process journal are included in the appendices of the report to demonstrate the learning. The project report is internally assessed and externally moderated by the IBO.

[Please see the MYP Personal project subject brief for further information.]

myp-brief_personal-project_2015.pdf