What is the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Personal Project?
The Personal Project is one of the most exciting parts of the IB MYP journey. It is mostly completed in Year 10 (from 2021) and involves students synthesising their learning and skills from the MYP to develop a project that they are passionate about that uses a process of inquiry and reflection. Students define goals based on personal interests, they develop a set of success criteria to evaluate themselves against while reflecting on the process.
The Personal Project Process (pictured below)
What do students produce?
Students will submit a product/outcome, process journal reflections, and a report.
Here are some examples of Personal Projects:
Goal: To create a way to use phytoplankton in urban areas to reduce anthropogenic carbon dioxide.
Goal: Design and create a semi self-sustainable house that demonstrates eco-friendly alternatives to preserve natural resources while implementing everyday tools.
Goal: To make a children’s book in braille
Goal: To create an original game concept that would highlight a range of culturally diverse characters.
Goal: To create a small book to document my process, strategies and tips about motocross to motive other girls to join the sport.
Goal: To research and learn one jewellery technique, then design, develop and create 10 pieced of jewellery that reflect and explore my personal ideas, feelings a nature culture and creativity
Goal: To create a short film using traditional animation that raises awareness about mental illness and how it affects people and to host a screening of this movie at school, donating ticket funds to a mental health charity.
When will my daughter get the opportunity to do this?
In 2020 Term 4, students in Year 9 will be our first cohort to engage with the IB Personal Project. They will complete their Personal Project in Year 10 and will be provided with a number of sessions to help them through the process.
Will they have to do it all by themselves?
Whilst students are engaged in a process of independent inquiry, the whole Personal Project is supported by a personal advisor, a teacher at the school that will meet with your daughter and support them through their exciting journey.
What will students learn through the MYP Personal Project?
MYP projects involve students in a wide range of activities to extend their knowledge and understanding and to develop their skills and attitudes. They will engage in:
- deciding what they want to learn about, identifying what they already know, and discovering what they will need to know to complete the project
- creating proposals or criteria for their project, planning their time and materials, and recording developments of the project
- making decisions, developing understandings and solving problems, communicating with their supervisor and others, and creating a product or developing an outcome evaluating the product/outcome and reflecting on their project and their learning.
How long should students spend on this?
Students are expected to spend a minimum of 25 hours on their personal project. Some of this time will be provided during the school day in designated Personal Project sessions throughout the year.
Want to know more?
There will be information sessions for parents and students of Year 9 in 2020 to introduce the Personal Project next year. These will be advertised through What’s On.
Natalie Fairfax
IB Coordinator
