Developed by Lazaara Ilieva
Subject Area: Any subject (e.g., History, Science, Literature, Business, etc.)
Objective: To engage students in a comprehensive research project that emphasizes the process of learning, critical thinking, collaborative work, and mindfulness.
Instructions for teachers:
1. Topic Selection:
- Form groups of 3-4 students.
- Each group discusses, negotiates and agrees on a relevant research topic.
- Ensure the topic is:
- relevant to our current theme/topic
- broad enough to allow for in-depth exploration
- specific enough to be manageable.
2. Mindfulness introduction:
- Begin with a short mindfulness overview to emphasize a focused and calm mindset.
- Include deep breathing exercises, a brief guided meditation, or a mindfulness activity such as mindful listening.
- Discuss how mindfulness can help in maintaining focus, reducing stress, and enhancing awareness throughout the project.
3. Research guidelines:
- Develop a document with detailed research plan for your students outlining the following, e.g.:
- research questions: What do you want to find out?
- methods: How will you gather your information? (e.g., books, academic journals, interviews, surveys)
- timeline: Create a timeline with milestones and deadlines for each phase of the project.
4. Mindful goal setting:
- Help students set intentions for the research project, focusing not only on the academic goals but also on personal growth and group collaboration.
- Have each group member write down their personal and group goals, reflecting on how they can maintain mindfulness throughout the project.
5. Gathering information:
- Advise students to conduct research using a variety of sources (format: text, audio, video; genre: podcast, articles, essays, stories, etc.).
- Task learners to take detailed notes and keep a research journal documenting your process, including any challenges faced and how they were addressed.
- Remind students to incorporate mindfulness breaks during research sessions to stay focused and reduce fatigue (e.g. in student instructions, include the following: Make sure that every hour, you take 5-10 minutes to do a mindfulness exercise (e.g., deep breathing, stretching, or a short meditation).
6. Drafting and revising:
- Ask learners to create an outline of your findings.
- Task students to draft a report based on your research.
- Make sure that each group member contributes to writing sections of the report.
- Have students exchange drafts with another group for peer review.
- Provide constructive feedback focusing on clarity, coherence, and depth of analysis.
- Before revising the report, have a mindfulness session to engage students in clearing their mind, so that they approach the revisions with a fresh perspective.
- Assign students to revise their report/project, based on the feedback received.
7. Presentation preparation:
- Allow enough time for students to plan and create a presentation to share their findings with the class.
- Create a detailed checklist for the students what to include in the presentations, e.g.:
- Introduction to the topic
- Key findings from your research
- Analysis and interpretation of the findings
- Challenges encountered during the research process and how you overcame them
- Conclusion and implications of your research
- Prepare visual aids (e.g., slides, posters) to support your presentation.Practice mindful speaking and listening during preparation sessions, focusing on clear and calm communication.
8. Presentation instructions for students:
- Begin with a short mindfulness exercise to help calm nerves and focus the group.
- Present your research to the class. Each group member should participate in and contribute to the presentation.
- Be prepared to answer questions from your peers and the instructor at the end of the presentation.
- Encourage the audience to practice mindful listening during the presentation.
9. Reflection guidelines for students:
After the presentation, write a reflective essay individually (1-2 pages) addressing the following:
- What did you learn from the research process?
- What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
- How did working in a group impact your learning experience?
- How did mindfulness practices influence your focus, stress levels, and overall experience?
- How did your understanding of the topic evolve throughout the project?
- What would you do differently if you were to repeat this project?
Sample Evaluation Criteria:
- Research Plan:
- Clarity and feasibility of the research questions and methods
- Realistic and well-structured timeline
- Research Process:
- Depth and breadth of research
- Quality and reliability of sources
- Detailed and organized research journal
- Drafting and Revising:
- Coherence and organization of the report
- Quality of peer feedback given and received
- Improvement shown in the revised report
- Presentation:
- Clarity and engagement of the presentation
- Effectiveness of visual aids
- Ability to answer questions thoughtfully
- Reflection:
- Depth of insight in the reflective essay
- Honest and thoughtful self-assessment
- Connection between the research experience and personal learning
- Mindfulness Integration:
- Consistent practice of mindfulness throughout the project
- Reflection on the impact of mindfulness on the research and personal well-being
- Demonstration of mindful communication and collaboration within the group