How to teach with Purpose Projects

Purpose projects work well when students complete them after they read the related text, and ideally, after they've discussed the text in class. Within those constraints, instructors can assign Purpose Projects each week and then debreif in class during the next week, or a Purpose Portfoloio can also work, where students complete projects over the course of a few weeks or the whole semester. 

Either way, it is helpful if the instructor briefly prepares students for Purpose Projects beforehand and debreifs at some point. 

This is a standard rubric that works well for most purpose projects. 

It is helpful for grading quickly so that the instructor can then give more targeted feedback to each student. 

You can see examples of Purpose Projects and related assignments here. 

For a low-tech classroom, distribute composition books to each student and ask them to write their assignments in the book as a Purpose Project journal. For a totally tech-free classroom, students can then print their evidence of completion and staple it into their Purpose Project journals. 

For a classroom that permits technology, students can submit their Purpose Projects online, including links to evidence, recordings, and videos.