IB Math IA Complete Guide Part 4: Criterion C Personal Engagement | Mr. Flynn IB

Summary

This video script delves into Criterion C of personal engagement in academic projects, emphasizing its importance for scoring high. The speaker explains the levels of engagement and suggests ways to demonstrate it, such as caring about results, collecting data, creating models, and reflecting in the first person. Examples illustrate how personal interest can elevate a project, with the speaker advocating for originality and passion to make the project uniquely the student's own, ultimately leading to outstanding personal engagement.

Takeaways

• 📝 Criterion C focuses on personal engagement in an IA (Internal Assessment), which is graded on a scale of one to three.
• 🔍 Personal engagement levels are described as 'some', 'significant', and 'outstanding', with the latter being the goal for students.
• 🤔 Understanding the descriptors is straightforward, but applying them effectively in an IA can be more complex.
• 💡 Personal engagement is demonstrated by showing care about the subject, results, and providing personal opinions and reflections.
• 🏂 Examples given include modeling a snowboard jump, which is easy to show personal engagement due to its personal nature.
• 📉 For more abstract topics, like GDP and crime correlation, it's important to still convey personal interest and care in the results.
• 📚 The speaker advises against choosing topics that are too common or can be easily found in books or online, to ensure uniqueness.
• 🔬 Engaging in research, data collection, questionnaires, and creating models or conducting experiments can enhance personal engagement.
• 💻 Learning new math or software skills specifically for the IA can also demonstrate personal engagement and initiative.
• 🗣️ Giving opinions and reflecting in the first person can show both personal engagement and good reflection, which often go hand in hand.
• 🌐 Considering real-world situations from different perspectives, such as historical, global, or local, can add depth to the IA.
• 🌟 The IA should be original and unique, with no two projects being the same, even if they cover similar topics.
• 🔥 Passion and interest should be evident throughout the paper, making the reader feel the student's enthusiasm for the project.

Q & A

What is Criterion C in the context of the video?

Criterion C refers to 'Personal Engagement', which is one of the three criteria being discussed in the video, and it assesses the level of personal involvement and interest a student demonstrates in their project.

What are the three levels of personal engagement described in the video?

The three levels of personal engagement are 'some personal engagement', 'significant personal engagement', and 'outstanding personal engagement', with the latter indicating the highest degree of personal involvement.

Why is it important to show that you care about your results in your project?

Showing that you care about your results is important because it demonstrates personal engagement and interest in the project, which can enhance the quality of the work and make it more compelling to the reader.

What does the video suggest as a way to show personal engagement through the choice of topic?

The video suggests choosing a topic that is personal or of genuine interest to the student, as this can naturally lead to a higher level of personal engagement and passion in the project.

What is the advice given in the video regarding the originality of the project?

The video advises that the project should be original and unique, avoiding topics that are common or can be easily found in books or on the internet, to demonstrate outstanding personal engagement.

How can collecting your own data contribute to personal engagement?

Collecting your own data can contribute to personal engagement as it shows initiative and effort in gathering relevant and potentially unique information for the project.

What role does creating your own model play in demonstrating personal engagement?

Creating your own model from a video or photo can demonstrate personal engagement by showing that the student has taken the time to learn new skills and apply them to their project in a meaningful way.

Why is giving your opinion considered important in the context of personal engagement?

Giving your opinion is important because it shows that you are not only presenting facts but also reflecting on the findings, adding a personal perspective and demonstrating deeper engagement with the subject matter.

What is the relationship between personal engagement and reflection as discussed in the video?

The video suggests that personal engagement and reflection often go hand in hand, with good reflection typically accompanying a high level of personal engagement in a project.

How can using higher-level mathematics or software contribute to personal engagement?

Using higher-level mathematics or software can contribute to personal engagement by showing that the student has gone beyond the basic requirements, learning new skills, and applying them to enhance their project.

What is the final advice given in the video regarding demonstrating passion and interest in the project?

The final advice is to ensure that the passion and interest are evident throughout the paper, so that the reader can perceive the student's deep involvement and commitment to the project.