High School Research Projects

Posted by Dorit Sasson Apr 16, 2007

Today I just finished the first round of orally testing twelfth grade students on their research projects they did last year. This oral test is part of the final grade students receive in English. I was surprised by the wealth of topics - let me see, there were project topics on the Twin Towers, anorexia, nutrition, Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd, Finland and probably a few others I am missing.

After they described the process of the project, I asked them what did they learn? A great number told me they learned how to write a research project. They had never learned.

Then they went on to tell me what they learned about the chosen research topic. I realized they learned a lot including a number of educational skills such as cooperative learning and the how to's of a power point presentation.

Today they had the platform to share their learning experiences and they really shone as students. I was greatly impressed by their hard work as I have taught some of these students in the past.

I think research projects are a lot more valuable than simple homework assignments, which can be a waste of time. Research projects really do appeal to motivation since students choose projects based on what they are interested. For the most part, most homework assignments that are given in school nowadays are boring, and least the bit relevant given today's agenda of curriculum issues. Also the gap between acquired learning or learning for the masses is really not what accelerates or even enhances a student's aptitutde to learn or want to learn more.

If you really want to motivate students, give them a research project and they will take you and themselves on an incredible journey of acquiring knowledge. This justifies the reasons why they are in school and ultimately, give you a more well rounded perspective of the arguments in favor and against homework which seems to be one of the main issues in teaching today.