Graduating Project

LLED 590: Graduating Project

Download Statement of Focus Worksheet

General Information

The purpose of the Graduating Project (LLED 590) is to facilitate a broad-based demonstration of students’ theoretical and applied knowledge as acquired during their M.Ed. program. The Graduating Project is the culminating course in the final term of a student’s program, to be taken concurrently with the final course or following completion of all courses outlined in the Program of Graduate Studies. During the Graduating Project students will create a final project with a focus on its conceptual foundation and application to practice. This course is offered once a year, either as a seminar, on an individual basis with a faculty member or, for cohort students, at the end of their two-year program, and is facilitated by a faculty member.

Process

At the beginning of the program students are asked to articulate 3 statements of focus related to the subject area that will guide their coursework (see last page of this document). For example, subject areas may pertain to “Indigenous perspectives in FSL education,” or “technology in the FSL classroom.” The focus statements may be general goals, such as “To increase my knowledge about the integration of Indigenous worldviews in the FSL classroom” or “To improve my ability to facilitate successful reading experiences for my students.” Or, the statements may be more specific, such as “To be able to integrate Indigenous stories for primary French immersion students” or “To integrate technological resources related to successful reading strategies.” The statements will provide a framework for the development of students’ final project for the course.

Content

Throughout the M.Ed. program, in conjunction with their coursework, students are encouraged to accumulate a collection of evidence of her/his development and learning in preparation for the final project. This collection of evidence should represent a student’s own work, but may include collaborative work in which the student had a substantial role and in which case the nature and extent of a student’s contribution to collaborative work should be specified. The collection of work may, for example, include course notes, assignments, and reflections, an evolving annotated bibliography, performances, artifacts, and any other work that might contribute to the final project. This work should relate to the student’s original statements of focus and/or additional or revised statements. All evidence of work may be collected in print or digital format and compiled in a physical and/or digital workspace folder.

Final Project Proposal

Midway through the program, students will be asked to communicate to their supervisor the format and topic of their final project.

Final Project

The final project must contain evidence of a student’s ability to apply graduate coursework in “real world” school, community, or other contexts. Students who are part of a cohort may be asked to focus on one particular type of project format (e.g., an e-portfolio); other students, including students working independently on their M.Ed., may choose from a variety of final products, depending on the student’s area(s) or inquiry and focus, and in consultation with the supervisor/cohort coordinator:

  • a conceptual research project;
  • an e-portfolio;
  • a website;
  • workshops or other presentations designed and to be presented by the student in his or her place of employment or at a conference;
  • parent training materials;
  • an innovative unit or a set of lesson plans;
  • a set of curriculum materials;
  • resource manuals or packages on specific topics;
  • other products that demonstrate authentic application of coursework to students’ work or goal areas;
  • or another type of format.

During the course, in addition to completing the final project, students (typically part of a cohort) may be asked to present their final project. Class presentations will be held at the end of the course and are open to students, faculty and the general public. Students’ final projects (and presentations) are evaluated by the course facilitator and, if necessary and depending on the M.Ed. program format, by a content area specialist. Grades are assigned on a Pass/Fail basis.