Requirements+for+Students

=Now for "How"=

To begin, you'll need to check out the Discussion tabs at the "Here's Our Blog" link (scroll to the bottom of the list at the left of this page and click). This is where you'll choose a Great Mind moniker for yourself and brainstorm issues that are interesting to you. You can also respond to some of the posts made by other project members. Through this collaboration, you'll let your teachers know which topic is of most interest to you. What issue would you like to spend more time thinking about? Is there something you've always wondered? Here's the place to "wonder out loud"! You'll be matched with another project member who shares your interest, and together, you'll collaborate to research the topic and come up with solutions for resolving the issue.

As part of the Great Minds project, you will not only complete a multi-media project (e.g. video your science experiment and 'talk us through' your procedure and results; build a model or prototype of your choosing and include photos of the process on your Project Pages) but you will also be required to collaborate through the Blog. At least once each week, you'll be expected to make a post to the Blog (e.g. tell us what you've learned while working on your project that is interesting, exciting or unusual). You'll also be expected to respond to at least one post. It's not a lot of work. It's just chatting back and forth with the other students who are participating. Okay? And your project can be a whole lot more than reading and writing. What you do is up to you.

Once your topic is chosen and your partner(s) assigned, you'll communicate with one another about your project using the **Discussion Tab** of your **Group Project Page**. To access this click on Project Pages, then click on your group. Next click the **Discussion Tab** at the top of your **Group Page**.

Any **key articles** or **web links** that you feel are useful to more than one group should be **posted** on the "Cool Resources" page, and tagged with the relevant category (eg Environment, Justice, Music, etc.) so that it's easy for other "Thinkers" to find. You may also use the "Cool Resources" page to **comment** on any of the links and resources posted there. Are they useful? Interesting? What did you really think?

By now you've realized that this is a **multimedia project**, which means you must include a variety of media forms in your final product. You'll need at least one 'Podcast' of your own, and your choice of some of the following: Text Documents, Web Based Documents, Video Files (can be of discussions, interviews or clips -- try embedding some of your own!).

**__Project Requirements:__**
Your project will include the following areas:

Carefully explore and research your chosen topic. Consider its:
 * 1) Great Minds Think. . . The topic outlined and defined.**
 * Historical, scientific or other significance;
 * Positive and negative effects (and be sure to explain them. . .who is affected? how?);
 * Overall Impact -- on individuals, communities, specific groups within society, etc.

Research and present all sides of your topic or issue. This is where you'll let your audience judge for itself.
 * 2) The Whole Picture (Present all sides of the issue).**
 * Provide enough information for your audience to draw their own, informed conclusions.
 * Present ideas, information, and factual evidence in a straight-forward and unbiased manner.
 * Where possible, cite actual, factual cases and/or examples.

You should explore, research and present possible solutions to your given topic, including any additional suggestions your group might have, and the implications (or effects) of each of these.
 * 3) Solutions, Suggestions and Implications**
 * Identify any positive steps that have been taken (including when, by whom, and how), as they relate to your topic.
 * Outline the implications of these steps.
 * Describe and explain ways in which people can help to repair or prevent any negative effects of your topic.
 * Explain which option is, in your group's opinion, the most positive solution, backing your opinions with fact.

You should explore any relevant responsibilities that your topic invokes.
 * 4) Related Responsibilities (Ethical, Legal, Social, etc.)**
 * Identify each area of responsibility and discuss the implications of both accepting and avoiding that responsibility.

Be sure to use proper academic style on this page in citing your sources. You may want to refer to Thames Valley District School Board's publication "On Your Own," to find specific examples for proper citing of Internet and various print materials.
 * 5) Reference Page**


 * Project Feedback will be based on:**
 * **Communication and Collaboration of the Group in compiling the project (Teamwork)**
 * **Evidence of Higher Level Thinking (Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation), Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking**
 * **Final product's adherence to the Project Requirements above**
 * **Depth and Detail of information**
 * **Inclusion of MultiMedia elements**
 * **The Academic Style and Referencing of Sources in the final project.**