Introduction to Projects
ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ କ'ଣ ଏବଂ ଏହା କିପରି କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରେ, ତାହା ଏହି ବିଭାଗରେ ଆଲୋଚନା କରାଯିବ । ଏହା ଏକ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ହାସଲ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଏକ ଯୋଜନାବଦ୍ଧ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ।
A project (ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ) is a planned activity designed to achieve a specific goal. In your Second Language (English) studies, understanding projects helps you apply your learning in practical ways, moving from ideas to real actions. This chapter will guide you through the definition, purpose, and steps involved in undertaking a project.
Defining a Project
ଏକ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ସଠିକ୍ ସଂଜ୍ଞା ଏବଂ ଏହାର ମୁଖ୍ୟ ବୈଶିଷ୍ଟ୍ୟଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଏଠାରେ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣନା କରାଯାଇଛି । ଏହା ଏକ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ହାସଲ ପାଇଁ ଏକ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିଗତ ବା ସହଯୋଗୀ ଉଦ୍ୟମ ।
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “project” as “An individual or collaborative (ସହଯୋଗୀ) enterprise (ଉଦ୍ୟମ) that is carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular aim (ଲକ୍ଷ୍ୟ).” This means a project is not just a random task; it requires careful thought, planning, and often involves working with others towards a common objective.
Key Questions for a Project
କୌଣସି ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରିବା ପୂର୍ବରୁ, 'କ'ଣ', 'କାହିଁକି', ଏବଂ 'କିପରି' - ଏହି ତିନୋଟି ମୁଖ୍ୟ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ ପଚାରିବା ଜରୁରୀ । ଏହା ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ଦିଗ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଧାରଣ କରିବାରେ ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରେ ।
Before starting any project, it is essential to ask three fundamental questions:
- What? What needs to be done? What is the specific task or problem you want to address?
- Why? Why is this project important? What benefits (ଲାଭ) will it bring? What is the objective (ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ)?
- How? How will the project be conducted? What steps will be taken? What resources are needed?
Example: Imagine your villagers decide they need planting of trees for improving their environment.
- What? Planting 2000 trees in and around the village in two years.
- Why? Trees bring a number of benefits for all, like cleaner air and shade.
- How? Villagers will participate as a team, plan where to plant the trees, where to get the saplings (ଚାରା) from, the time when the plantation will be done, number of saplings to be planted each day, and how they will be looked after. If any funding (ପାଣ୍ଠି) is required, its sources will be planned.
The "Learning by Doing" Approach
ଜନ୍ ଡିୱିଙ୍କ "କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରି ଶିଖିବା" ତତ୍ତ୍ୱ ଶିକ୍ଷାରେ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ଧାରଣାକୁ ବିକଶିତ କରିଛି । ଏହା ଏକ ଧାରଣାକୁ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟରେ ପରିଣତ କରିବାର ଏକ ପଦ୍ଧତି ।
The concept (ଧାରଣା) of projects in education was significantly developed by the American thinker, John Dewey, author of the famous “learning by doing” theory. A project is a method, which enables us to move from idea to action, through the various stages in that process. It is the product of collective activity (ସାମୂହିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକଳାପ) and necessarily involves evaluation (ମୂଲ୍ୟାଙ୍କନ), which establishes a link between idea and action.
Stages of a Project
ଏକ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ମୁଖ୍ୟ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟାୟଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ଏହି ଫ୍ଲୋଚାର୍ଟରେ ଦର୍ଶାଯାଇଛି । ଏଥିରେ ଯୋଜନା, କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକାରିତା ଏବଂ ମୂଲ୍ୟାଙ୍କନ ଅନ୍ତର୍ଭୁକ୍ତ ।
Here is a simplified representation of the project stages:
Steps for Conducting a Project
ଏକ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପକୁ ସଠିକ୍ ଭାବରେ ସମ୍ପାଦନ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ ପଦକ୍ଷେପଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଏଠାରେ ଦିଆଯାଇଛି । ଏହି ପଦକ୍ଷେପଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଏକ ସୁସଂଗଠିତ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପ ରିପୋର୍ଟ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ କରିବାରେ ସାହାଯ୍ୟ କରେ ।
To conduct a project effectively, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Discuss the Theme and Background (ପୃଷ୍ଠଭୂମି)
- The whole team of project participants should think about the theme and discuss it. Your teacher will help you.
- Write the background of the project (60-70 words).
- Step 2: Write the Project Statement (ବିବରଣୀ)
- Explain in a maximum of five sentences what you mean by your project statement (in about 50 words).
- Step 3: State Objectives (ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ)
- State why you want to conduct this project (about 50 words).
- Step 4: Outline Procedure (ପ୍ରଣାଳୀ) and Materials (ସାମଗ୍ରୀ)
- State the procedure of conducting the project. In addition, list the materials that you would need to complete your project (about 50 words).
- Step 5: Collect Materials and Follow Procedure
- Collect the materials. Follow the procedure to write your project report (about 450 words).
- Step 6: Conclude (ସିଦ୍ଧାନ୍ତ) with Assessment (ମୂଲ୍ୟାଙ୍କନ)
- Complete the report with a conclusion that includes your assessment of the project (about 50 words).
- Step 7: Give a Catchy Title (ଆକର୍ଷଣୀୟ ଶୀର୍ଷକ)
- Give your completed project a catchy title (10-15 words). Your title must match your work.
Example Project Outline: Handling English Words Better
ଇଂରାଜୀ ଶବ୍ଦଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ଭଲ ଭାବରେ ବୁଝିବା ଏବଂ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରିବା ପାଇଁ ଏକ ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ଉଦାହରଣ ଏଠାରେ ଦିଆଯାଇଛି । ଏହା ପ୍ରକଳ୍ପର ବିଭିନ୍ନ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟାୟକୁ ଦର୍ଶାଏ ।
This outline shows how a project on improving English vocabulary might be structured:
- Background of this project: In a class discussion, we found that we face problems with words in learning English. We decided to take up a project on how to handle words better.
- The project statement: Methods to handle words better.
- The objectives of the project: Our project was to find out i. what our problems are with words, and ii. how we can learn and use words better.
- Procedure for the project:
- i. Finding out the problems Class 9 students have with English words through questioning classmates, teachers, and parents, and through team discussion.
- ii. Listing the problems.
- iii. Finding out how we can overcome the problems with words.
- Findings and solutions:
- i. Identified problems: spelling, meaning, part/s of speech.
- ii. Solutions: For spelling – using a dictionary, spelling games; for meaning – guessing meaning from context, using gloss; for part/s of speech – from different texts, from a dictionary.
- Conclusion: A write-up in point form covering what was done, why, how, findings, and what more can be done in this area.
- The title of the project: "English Words: Some of our Problems and some Solutions"