IBChangemakers: ‘The Personal Project and e-Portfolio made learning more meaningful’

The Personal Project and e-Portfolio hold an important place in the IB curriculum because they help students move beyond textbook learning. They encourage independent inquiry, reflection, research, analysis and self-management. Meet Harshitha Khuurana, a MYP-5 student at Apeejay’s IB School, Apeejay School International, Panchsheel Park. In a candid interview, she talks about the evolution of calligraphy, among other things.

What was your Personal Project about?

My Personal Project (PP) was about the evolution of calligraphy. I explored how calligraphy developed across different cultures, including Greek, Russian and Chinese traditions. Since I have been practising calligraphy since childhood, I wanted to understand the history behind it and see how different regions shaped their writing styles.

Why did you choose this topic?

I chose this topic because I was introduced to calligraphy in first grade. My mother enrolled me in calligraphy classes, and I continued practising it for many years. Over time, I became curious about how calligraphy began, where it came from, and why it holds such cultural importance.

I created a timeline to show the origin and development of calligraphy. I also made a script analysis chart to study different writing forms and their features. These helped me present my research clearly and visually.

What was one interesting thing you discovered during the project?

One thing I noticed was that fewer people seem to be taking up calligraphy now. I went to four or five shops to buy a calligraphy book for my display, but none of them had one. I finally had to borrow it from my high school teacher. That made me feel that the influence of calligraphy is reducing.

I used both primary and secondary research. For secondary research, I referred to websites, articles and visual references. For primary research, I created a survey and received more than 50 responses. I also interviewed the school’s art facilitator and my PP mentor.

What skills did the Personal Project help you develop?

The project helped me improve my research, planning and critical thinking skills. I learnt how to organise information, compare different cultural perspectives and present my ideas more clearly. I think this project will help me connect with different cultures and understand writing in a broader way. As I move towards DP-1, I feel that this knowledge can help me relate calligraphy to other concepts in writing, art and learning.

What was your PHE e-Portfolio about?

My PHE e-Portfolio was based on badminton. I worked with a client and assessed her initial performance through a small match. After that, I conducted benchmark tests and analysed her strengths and limitations to create an improvement pathway.

Which benchmark test did you use?

One of the benchmark tests I used was the six-corner footwork drill. I modified it according to my client’s performance so that it suited her level and helped me assess her movement and footwork more effectively. After the benchmark test, I analysed my client’s strengths and limitations. Based on this, I created an improvement pathway.

What skills did the e-Portfolio help you develop?

The e-Portfolio helped me strengthen my analytical and critical thinking skills. I had to observe performance, study footwork, identify strengths and limitations, and plan ways to improve.

What was common between both projects?

Both projects helped me look at things from different perspectives. In the PP, I studied calligraphy through different cultures. In the e-Portfolio, I analysed badminton performance through movement, skills and improvement areas.