R & D: Progress monitoring

Once the students' projects are approved, they create a blog where they periodically share how their project is developing. The blog serves two main functions: 1) it helps the students practice their research-based writing skills, and 2) it allows me to monitor the progress of their project.

Alternatives to blogging include

• vlogging (video blogging)
• digital portfolio (good for showing progress of a "maker" project)
• short presentations (verbal progress reports)

Resources:

• Blog requirements for English 11 (instructions & guidelines)
• Model home page
• Model introductory post
• Model progress report (students in my class post three progress reports over the course of their project--about one every 3-4 weeks)
• Another model progress report
• "Walk and Talk" questions (I use this activity about halfway through the project. Students are paired off, and then we walk around campus or the building; they take turns answering the questions with their partner. It's a kind of impromptu presentation with a one-person audience.)