ATL Skills
"The personal project encourages students to practice and strengthen their ATL skills. The MYP focuses on “learning how to learn” through the systematic development of approaches to learning (ATL) skills for communication, collaboration, organization, self-management, reflection, research, informational literacy, media literacy, creative and critical thinking, and transfer of learning.
READ THIS: IMPORTANT
The Approaches to Learning Skills in the Personal Project are not just about "doing them" during the process. You will need to decide which skill category was used in the Learning Goal and which was used in the Product Goal . You will need to document how your skills DEVELOPED over time; what skills you STRUGGLED with and why; and how you APPLIED these skills during the process of investigating your Learning Goal making your Product. All THREE OF THESE will need to be demonstrated and evaluated."
Amber J. Rhinehart, MYP Coordinator, Lincoln Community School, Accra, Ghana
RESEARCH SKILLS
Students demonstrate research skills by finding, interpreting, judging and creating information (information literacy skills), and interacting with media to use and create ideas and information (media literacy skills). Evidence should be found in their bibliography and also in the ‘Investigating’ section of their written report. Evidence may also be found in the appendices or other sections of the report.
Evidence of information literacy skills may include:
⧫ Collecting, recording and verifying data
⧫ Making connections between sources of information
⧫ Collecting and analyzing data to identify solutions and make informed decisions
⧫ Processing data and reporting results
⧫ Evaluating and selecting information sources based on their appropriateness to specific tasks
⧫ Using critical literacy skills to analyze and interpret media communications
⧫ Creating references and citations, using footnotes/endnotes and constructing bibliography according to recognized conventions
Evidence of media literacy skills may include:
⧫ Locating, organizing, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing, and ethically using sources from a variety of sources and media
⧫ Demonstrating awareness of media interpretations of events and ideas
⧫ Seeking a range of perspectives from multiple and varied sources
⧫ Communicating information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats
⧫ Comparing, contrasting and drawing connections among (multi)media resources
SELF-MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Students demonstrate self-management skills by managing time and tasks effectively (organizational skills) and managing their state of mind (affective skills). Evidence should be found in the ‘planning’ section of the written report. Evidence may also be found in the appendices or other sections of the report.
Evidence of organizational skills may include:
⧫ Having a detailed plan for the completion of the project
⧫ Planning strategies and actions to achieve the goal
⧫ Meeting deadlines
⧫ Keeping an organized and logical process journal
⧫ Setting goals that are challenging but realistic
⧫ Selecting and using technology effectively and productively
Evidence of affective skills may include:
⧫ Perseverance and persistence
⧫ Self-motivation and positive-thinking
⧫ Resilience – the ability to deal with mistakes, failures, disappointment, change
Evidence of reflective skills may include:
Considering ethical, cultural and environmental implications of issues
Building understanding of personal learning strengths and weaknesses
Demonstrating changes made to ineffective learning strategies
THINKING SKILLS
Students demonstrate thinking skills by analyzing and evaluating issues and ideas (critical thinking skills), generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives (creative thinking skills) and utilizing skills and knowledge in multiple contexts (transfer skills). Evidence should be found in the ‘Taking action’ and ‘Investigating’ sections of the written report or in the product or outcome of the project. Evidence may also be found in the appendices or other sections of the report.
Evidence of critical thinking skills may include:
⧫ Recognizing or identifying problems, obstacles or challenges
⧫ Formulating arguments
⧫ Recognizing assumptions and bias in sources
⧫ Interpreting data
⧫ Evaluating sources
⧫ Drawing reasonable conclusions and generalizations
⧫ Revising understanding based on new information
⧫ Formulating questions
⧫ Considering ideas from multiple perspectives
⧫ Proposing and evaluating a variety of solutions
Evidence of creative thinking skills may include:
⧫ Brainstorming or visual diagrams used to generate ideas or inquiries, or visible thinking strategies or techniques
⧫ Considering multiple alternatives – even those that may seem impossible
⧫ Making unusual connections between ideas or objects
⧫ Designing improvements existing technologies
⧫ Creating novel solutions or original works and ideas – or using existing works or ideas in new ways
Evidence of transfer skills may include:
⧫ Applying skills and knowledge in unfamiliar situations
⧫ Comparing conceptual understanding across multiple subject groups and disciplines
⧫ Combining knowledge, understanding and skills to create products or solutions
⧫ Transferring current knowledge to learning of new technologies
⧫ Changing the context of an inquiry to gain different perspectives
COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL (COLLABORATION) SKILLS:
Students demonstrate communication skills by exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through interaction and reading, writing and using language to gather and communicate information. They demonstrate social (collaboration) skills by working effectively with others. Evidence should be found in the ‘Taking action’ and
‘Investigating’ sections of the written report or in the product or outcome of the project. Evidence may also be found in the appendices or other sections of the report.
Evidence of communication skills may include:
⧫ Giving and receiving feedback (not necessarily only from their project supervisor)
⧫ Using appropriate speaking and written techniques for dealing with different audiences
⧫ Negotiating ideas and knowledge with peers, teachers or others (possibly as part of research)
⧫ Collaborate and share ideas (may be part of the product)
⧫ Make inferences and draw conclusions
⧫ Write for different purposes
⧫ Paraphrase and take effective notes
⧫ Organize and depict information logically
⧫ Structure information in the written report
Evidence of social (collaboration) skills may include:
⧫ Demonstrating empathy
⧫ Helping others to succeed
⧫ Taking responsibility for one’s own actions
⧫ Listening actively to perspectives and ideas of others
⧫ Giving and receiving meaningful feedback
REFLECTING SKILLS:
Students demonstrate reflection skills by (re-)considering the process of learning; choosing and using ATL skills.
Evidence should be found in the ‘Reflecting’ section, or in other sections of the written report. Evidence of reflection skills may include:
⧫ Developing new skills, techniques or strategies for effective learning
⧫ Identifying strengths and weaknesses of personal learning strategies (self-assessment)
⧫ Trying new ATL skills and evaluating their effectiveness
⧫ Considering increased knowledge and understanding relating to the project topic
⧫ Considering ATL skills development
⧫ Considering their development as a learner
Amber J. Rhinehart, MYP Coordinator, Lincoln Community School, Accra, Ghana
ATL Spreadsheet Showing All Skills - A Useful Tool for Reflection