If you were to design a students entire project scheme are they actually learning anything or even do it. Students tend to do better and learn more on projects when they have the chance to get creative with their assigned task. Instead of just researching what a teacher has designed for them.

For example, if you design a project for the students and the topic is on a book they were supposed to read over the summer. That's not really showing that the student learned anything it just shows that he or she was able to follow instructions given by the teacher. If you give the student a topic to learn over summer and let them plan out there project their ability to teach themselves and actually learn will increase.

Also, by letting them design the project you will get a variety instead of the same project type from each student. Different projects from each student give you the chance as a teacher to pin-point the students who learned and the ones who didn't. Which makes it easier for you to grade them and offer help to the ones who didn't do as well.

However, most students won't need help because they have the chance to get creative. Creativity will be a big help in improving the learning abilities of students. This chance will spark something inside of them and drive them to wanna take time to understand it then have fun designing their project for the topic. If the teachers designs it the projects will be turned in bland or maybe not turned in at all.

In conclusion, if you give them the freedom to do it in their way you will see how much they learned over the summer because they had the chance to show you how they learned it in their own way. And not just doing something that was planned out for them.