text: It's very hard for students to be motivated to do something given to them by a higher authority, normally kids are motivated by a single letter grade or by a percentage. There are some kids though that as great as the reward may be, if they arent interested in the topic, then the homework, project, or worksheet won't get done. With the choice for the student to create the project on their own, it's highly likely that it's gonna be something that interest them. If it's something they actually are interested in, the more willing they'll be to actually completing the assignment. Compared to teacher-designed projects, the student created projects have a higher chance of actually being completed. It's not necessarily driven by a letter or a number, but more by a student's want to learn.