Thing Seven

Thing Seven – Get to Know the Research Project Calculator (RPC)

About a month ago, I started a research project with the students. Yesterday, the day after Spring Break, I finally introduced the RPC to them. I gave them an extra three weeks to gather information. This was a judgment call based primarily on few of my students having done any sort of authentic research based assignment. I wanted to give them room to try, fail and try again as needed without rushing them with deadlines. To this end, I allowed them to select their own due date for their project (essay) within larger parameters that I set. There is some (minor) extra-credit incentive for turning the project in sooner rather than later, but I wanted the students to have time to do their authentic research.
Generally speaking, the RPC was a huge hit. The students love having the steps laid out for them, assistance at each step if I am unavailable for some reason and the e-mail reminders. As a whole, they felt as if any tool that can assist them in their organization is a good one. We were unable to get all e-mail accounts to work though, which was odd. Still, it was a small hitch in what was otherwise a very successful day.