THE STARTING POINT
Structure a project around an audience, a task and visible review criteria.
Define the practical situation.
Describe who the project is for and what the learner must produce. Keep the context clear enough to guide decisions without specifying every implementation detail. Match the scope to the learner’s starting knowledge and the time available, including the resources they can use.
Make review criteria visible.
State how the work will be assessed before learners begin. Distinguish required outcomes from optional extensions. Examples can help explain the criteria, but avoid making one example the only acceptable solution when the project is intended to allow different approaches.
Plan support and reflection.
Build in a checkpoint where learners can discuss their approach before finishing. Ask them to explain decisions and limitations alongside the final output. Use the review to identify what they should practice next, rather than treating submission as the end of the learning activity.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Your discovery checklist
- Define the audience, output and available resources.
- Share required outcomes and optional extensions.
- Include a review checkpoint and learner reflection.