The student conducts projects involving at least two of the following kinds of problem solving each year and, over the course of high school, conducts projects involving all three kinds of problem solving.

• Design a Product, Service, or System; Identify needs that could be met by new products, services, or systems and create solutions for meeting them.
• Improve a System: Develop an understanding of the way systems of people, machines, and processes work; troubleshoot problems in their operation and devise strategies for improving their effectiveness.
• Plan and Organize an Event or an Activity: Take responsibility for all aspects of planning and organizing an event or an activity from concept to completion, making good use of the resources of people, time, money, and materials and facilities.
• Each project should involve subject matter related to the standards for English Language Arts, and/or Mathematics, and/or Science, and/or other appropriate subject content.

A1a. The student designs and creates a product, service, or system to meet an identified need; that is, the student:

• develops a design proposal that:
  • shows how the ideas for the design were developed
  • reflects awareness of similar work done by others and of relevant design standards and regulations
  • justifies the choices made in finalizing the design with reference, for example, to functional, aesthetic, social
  • economic, and environmental considerations
  • establishes criteria for evaluating the product, service, or system
  • uses appropriate conventions to represent the design

• plans and implements the steps needed to create the product, service, or system;
• makes adjustments as needed to conform with specified standards or regulations regarding quality or safety;
• evaluates the product, service, or system in terms of the criteria established in the design proposal, and with reference to:
  • information gathered from sources such as impact studies, product testing, or market research
  • comparisons with similar work done by others

A1b. The student troubleshoots problems in the operation of a system in need of repair or devises and tests ways of improving the effectiveness of a system in operation; that is, the student:

• explains the structure of the system in terms of its:
  • logic, sequences, and control
  • operating principles, that is, the mathematical, scientific, and/or organizational principles underlying the system
• analyzes the way the system works, taking account of its functional, aesthetic, social, environmental, and commercial requirements, as appropriate, and using a relevant kind of modeling or systems analysis;
• evaluates the operation of the system, using qualitative methods and/or quantitative measurements of performance;
• develops and tests strategies to put the system back in operation and/or optimize its performance;
• evaluates the effectiveness of the strategies for improving the system and supports the evaluation with evidence.

A1c. The student plans and organizes an event or an activity; that is, the student:

• develops a planning schedule that:
  • is sensible in terms of the goals of the event or activity
  • is logical and achievable
  • reflects research into relevant precedents and regulations
  • takes into account all relevant factors
  • communicates clearly so that a peer or colleague could use it
• implements and adjusts the planning schedule in ways that:
  • make efficient use of time, money, people, resources, facilities
  • reflect established priorities
  • respond effectively to unforeseen circumstances
• evaluates the success of the event or activity using qualitative and/or quantitative methods
• makes recommendations for planning and organizing subsequent similar events or activities

A2a. The students makes an oral presentation of project plans or findings to an audience with expertise in the relevant subject matter; that is, the student:

• organizes the presentation in a logical way appropriate to its purpose;
• adjusts the style of presentation to suit its purpose and audience;
• speaks clearly and presents confidently;
• responds appropriately to questions from the audience;
• evaluates the effectiveness of the presentation and identifies appropriate revisions for a future presentation.

A2b. The student prepares a formal written proposal or report to an organization beyond the school; that is, the student:

• organizes the information in the proposal or report in a logical way appropriate to its purpose;
• produces the proposal or report in a format similar to that used in professionally produced documents for a similar purpose and audience.

A2c. The student develops a multi-media presentation, combining text, images, and/or sound; that is, the student:

• selects an appropriate medium for each element of the presentation;
• uses the selected media skillfully, including editing and monitoring for quality;
• achieves coherence in the presentation as a whole;
• communicates the information effectively, testing audience response and revising the presentation accordingly.

A3a. The student gathers information to assist in completing project work; that is, the student:

• identifies potential sources of information to assist in completing the project;
• uses appropriate techniques to collect the information, e.g., considers sampling issues in conducting a survey;
• interprets and analyzes the information;
• evaluates the information for completeness, relevance, and validity
• shows evidence of research in the completed project.

A3b. The student uses on-line sources to exchange information for specific purposes; that is, the student:

• uses E-mail to correspond with peers and specialists in the subject matter of their projects;
• incorporates into E-mail correspondence data of different file types and applications.

A3c. The student uses word-processing software to produce a multi-page document; that is, the student:

• uses features of the software to create and edit the document;
• uses features of the software to format the document, including a table of contents, index, tabular columns, charts, and graphics;
• uses features of the software to create templates and style sheets for the document.

A3d. The student writes, adds content to, and analyzes a data base program that uses a relational data base; that is, the student:

• writes a program capable of handling data with at least two files;
• creates macros to facilitate data entry, analysis, and manipulation;
• creates multiple report formats that include summary information;
• merges data from the data base with other files.

A3e. The student creates, edits, and analyzes a spreadsheet of information that displays data in tabular, numeric format and includes multiple graphs; that is, the student:

• creates a spreadsheet that displays the use of formulas and functions;
• uses features of the software to sort, arrange, display, and extract data for specific purposes;
• uses features of the software to create multiple spreadsheets and to synthesize the spreadsheets into a single presentation.

A4a. The student learns from models; that is, the student:

• consults with and observes other students and adults at work and analyzes their roles to determine the critical demands, such as demands for knowledge and skills, judgment and decision making;
• identifies models for the results of project work, such as professionally produced publications, and analyzes their qualities;
• uses what he or she learns from models to assist in planning and conducting project activities.

A4b. The student reviews his or her own progress in completing work activities and adjusts priorities as needed to meet deadlines; that is, the student:

• develops and maintains work schedules that reflect consideration of priorities;
• manages time;
• monitors progress towards meeting deadlines and adjusts priorities as necessary.

A4c. The student evaluates his or her performance; that is, the student:

• establishes expectations for his or her own achievement;
• critiques his or her work in light of the established expectations;
• seeks and responds to advice and criticism from others.

A5a. The student participates in the establishment and operation of self-directed work teams; that is, the student:

• defines roles and shares responsibilities among team members;
• sets objectives and time frames for the work to be completed;
• establishes processes for group decision making;
• reviews progress and makes adjustments as required.

A5b. The student plans and carries out a strategy for including at least one new member in a work program; that is, the student:

• plans and conducts an initial activity to introduce the new member to the work program;
• devises ways of providing continuing on-the-job support and advice;
• monitors the new member’s progress in joining the program, and revises the kinds and ways of providing support and advice accordingly;
• reviews the success of the overall strategy.

A5c. The student completes a task in response to a commission from a client; that is, the student:

• negotiates with the client to arrive at a plan for meeting the client’s needs that is acceptable to the client, achievable within available resources, and includes agreed-upon criteria for successful completion;
• monitors client satisfaction with the work in progress and makes adjustments accordingly;
• evaluates the result in terms of the negotiated plan and the client’s evaluation of the result.

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