Bachillerato

Collaborative
Projects
Teacher’s Notes

IH-012-094
Collaborative Projects

Learning Objectives
· Use grammatical structures and lexis to communicate successfully.
· Increase awareness of value of group work.
· Develop communication skills and people skills to achieve higher performance in teams.
· Develop critical thinking as well as creative skills.
Step 1: Forming groups
Teachers should first form groups of four or five students. Then, teachers need to appoint group leaders. You may want to
ask your students if they would like to volunteer as group leaders or you may prefer to choose group leaders yourself. While
forming groups, it is worthwhile taking several factors such as behaviour, academic achievement, artistic abilities and social
abilities into consideration. In fact, you may choose to appoint specific roles – like researcher, designer, editor and presenter –
to students. It isn’t recommended that students be allowed to form groups on their own, as they will probably simply team up
with their friends.

Step 2: Introducing the project to the class

You may want to hand out the project instructions to the class on a piece of paper and go over the various steps to ensure
that everything is clear and students fully understand what they are expected to do at each stage. This is also a good
opportunity to share the assessment rubrics with the students so that they know in advance how they will be assessed on
their project.
If introducing for the first time a project that is a problem-based project, it is important to explain to the students what a
problem-based project is. Explain that it is a group activity in which students have to collaborate to find a solution to a real
problem, which forms the basis of their project.

Step 3: Brainstorming
Encourage students to generate statements about what they already know about the topic and questions about what they
do not know and need to research. Brainstorming can be done as a whole-class activity. Then, you may want to ask a student
to come to the board and write the statements and questions or you can write them on the board yourself. If students do not
come up with all the points you would expect them to note, you might elicit them from the class. Next, have students work in
their groups to complete the following chart:

What we know about the topic What we need to find out in order to do the project

Step 4: Creating a research plan and assigning tasks

Encourage your students to make a mind map with the main topic or the problem in the centre, surrounded by branches
containing what they need to know in order to do the project and answer the questions generated during the
brainstorming stage.
Instruct students to write on this mind map which group member will be in charge of researching each item of information
needed. It is also advisable to include a timeline for this process of research. Teachers should keep a copy of this mind map in
order to be able to check if students have accomplished the task they were assigned. Researching information does not have
to be carried out in class. Students can be told to do this outside of class hours. Teachers can then decide how much of the
remaining work on the project they want done in class and how much at home. The potential advantage of doing the work in
class is that teachers can then check what each student actually does.

Step 5: Sharing findings with group and developing the final product
Once the research is completed, instruct students to present their findings to the whole group and to then start to prepare
the final product. While students are working in groups, teachers should be walking around the class, monitoring the groups,
asking questions and encouraging students to work efficiently and cooperatively.

Step 6: Presentation of final product

Students should always be required to present their work. Teachers may decide to have them present their work to the class or
to another class. After all groups have presented their projects, you may want to ask your students to vote for the project they
think is the best and have them explain the reasons behind their choice.

Project Duration: If everything but the actual research is done in class, each project should take five lessons
(steps 1-3: one lesson, step 4: one lesson, step 5: two lessons, step 6: one lesson).

1
BACHILLERATO COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS © B Burlington Books
 Collaborative Projects: Teacher’s Notes

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Each team member may be assessed individually according to the following assessment items:
1. Project involvement (20%)
2. Attitude in class (20%)
3. Performance during presentation of project (60%)

You may want to use the following rubrics to assess steps 1-5:

RUBRIC FOR CLASS ASSESSMENT BASED ON TEACHER'S OBSERVATION

Excellent (10/10) Satisfactory (8/10) Acceptable (6/10) Unsuitable (4/10)
Project Always brings the Almost always brings the Almost always brings Often forgets to bring
involvement material needed and is material needed and is the material needed the material needed or is
always willing to work almost always ready to but sometimes it is not willing to work.
and get involved in the work and get involved in either incomplete or
project. the project. inadequate.

Attitude in Never criticises the Rarely criticises the Occasionally criticises Often criticises the
class project or other group project or other group the project or other project or other group
members’ work. members’ work. Often group members’ members’ work. Often
Always has a positive has a positive attitude work. Sometimes has has a negative attitude
attitude towards work towards work and a negative attitude towards work and
and encourages team often encourages team towards work and does rarely encourages
members to work members to work not always encourage team members to work
together. together. team members to work together.
together.

A student’s performance during presentation of the group project (step 6) can be assessed using the following assessment
rubrics:

RUBRIC FOR ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT’S PERFORMANCE DURING PROJECT PRESENTATION

Excellent (10/10) Satisfactory (8/10) Acceptable (6/10) Unsuitable (4/10)
Speaks clearly Speaks clearly all Speaks clearly almost all Some parts of the It is difficult to
the time, with good the time but sometimes presentation are unclear understand the student’s
pronunciation and the pronunciation and and makes some presentation and the
intonation. the intonation are not mistakes involving pronunciation and
good. pronunciation and intonation are very poor.
intonation.

Content Shows an outstanding Shows a good command Shows only an Shows no command of
command of the topic. of the topic and acceptable command of the topic and does not
Presents bright ideas presents good ideas and the topic and presents present suitable ideas or
and suggestions based suggestions based on acceptable ideas and suggestions based on
on excellent research. good research. suggestions based on research.
basic research.

Enthusiasm Looks relaxed and Looks for eye contact Sometimes looks Looks very nervous and
confident and looks with the audience. Often for eye contact with does not look at the
for eye contact with uses body language the audience but audience during the
the class. Uses body and facial expressions doesn’t look confident. presentation. Does not
language and facial to generate interest and Sometimes uses body use body language or
expressions to generate hold the attention of the language and facial facial expressions. Fails
interest and hold audience. expressions but often to generate any interest
the attention of the fails to generate interest in the audience.
audience. and hold the attention
of the audience.

2
BACHILLERATO COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS © B Burlington Books
 Problem-Based Collaborative Projects: Teacher's Notes

Bachillerato 1
Collaborative Project 3: Problem-Based
Assisting refugees
Possible questions to consider:
• H
 ow much do you know about Syria, Syrian society and culture and the situation in the country? Where is
Aleppo and what has happened there?
• W
 hich language is spoken in Syria? How can you communicate with the refugees if they haven’t got any
command of your mother tongue? Can the refugees speak English?
• Is it a good idea to hold a welcoming party for the refugees? Where could you hold a welcoming party?
Who would you invite?
• W
 hat items will the refugees need when they arrive: clothing, shoes, blankets, kitchen utensils, medicine?
How can you help to provide them with these items?
• W
 hat school items and books will the teenagers need in order to attend school? What could you do to get
these items for them?
• Who will give them support with their studies? How will they manage with the language?
• What free-time activities could they take part in? What could you do to make their lives happier?
• What could you do to raise funds to assist the refugees – charity sales? fund-raising concerts?

Bachillerato 2
Collaborative Project 3: Problem-Based
Planning a class trip
Possible questions to consider:
• W
 hat type of trip and activities would the majority of the students like (a hike in nature, relaxation on a
beach, sightseeing in a city, extreme sports, etc.)?
• What are the best possible destinations that match the type of trip you have chosen?
• W
 hat are the best possible dates for your trip? Should you travel before or after university entrance
exams?
• W
 hat is the best way to reach your destination? How long will it take? How much will it cost? Can you get
a group discount?
• W
 hat type of accommodation do you prefer – a hotel, a youth hostel, a campsite? How much does it cost?
Can you get a group discount? What does it include? Will you need to bring food and prepare it yourself?
If so, how much will this cost? Alternatively, how much will dining out cost?
• W
 hich sights can you see and which activities can you do at the destination? How much does the
entrance to the sights and the various activities cost?
• W
 hat are the opening hours at each place? What are the distances between them? How will you get from
place to place?
• How could you raise money to cover some of your trip expenses?
• What will you need to pack for this destination at this time of the year?

3
BACHILLERATO COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS © B Burlington Books