Abstract: We identified and examined how the instructional elements of problem-based learning capstone engineering courses affected students’ motivation to engage in the courses. We employed a two-phase, sequential, explanatory, mixed methods research design. For the quantitative phase, 47 undergraduate students at a large public university completed a questionnaire that measured the components of the MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation (Jones, 2009): empowerment, usefulness, success, situational interest, individual interest, academic caring, and personal caring. For the qualitative phase that followed, 10 students answered questions related to the MUSIC components. We identified several instructional elements that led to motivating opportunities that affected students’ motivation to engage in the courses. We discuss how these motivating opportunities can foster or hinder students’ engagement and provide implications for instruction.

Abstract: Purpose – A modern business graduate is expected to have strong disciplinary skills as well as the soft skills of communication and team work. However today's business graduate needs to be more than the traditional “I‐shaped” graduate of the past and more of the “T‐shaped” graduate employers are looking for. Many undergraduate business degrees profess to offer integration of the curriculum but on investigation this occurs mainly through a capstone subject at the end of the degree. Today's business graduates need a more integrated approach to their learning. This paper aims to outline the transformation of a traditional business curriculum to one that is inter‐disciplinary, outlining the necessary steps and conditions including the most challenging – faculty buy in.Design/methodology/approach – The review of the Bachelor of Business degree at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) provided an opportunity to explore the option to embrace an integrated curriculum. The authors outline how the review was shaped...

Abstract: ‘Capstone’ is a metaphor used to describe a final achievement that builds upon previous works and encapsulates them. Capstone projects are included in engineering curricula to integrate multi-disciplinary subjects and teach professional skills that are difficult to impart in a traditional lectured course. Since these projects serve to transition students into professional engineers, they have a direct impact on a university's industry reputation and ranking. Therefore, it is worthwhile to study the capstone programmes implemented at the world's top-ranked engineering universities to discover common elements which characterise them. In this paper, common elements of the capstone programmes implemented in mechanical and aerospace engineering undergraduate programmes in the world's top-ranked engineering universities are identified and analysed to determine established best practices. These practices can be modelled and applied to the pedagogy of engineering programmes at universities around the world to imp...

Abstract: This cross‐sectional study examined student perceptions of psychology graduate attributes (GA) and of psychological literacy (PL), which were expected and found to be significantly related. GA and ...

Abstract: As universities seek to provide cost-effective, cross-cultural experiences using global virtual (GV) teams, the ‘soft’ communication skills typical of all teams, increases in importance for GV teams. Students need to be taught how to navigate through cultural issues and virtual tool issues to build strong trusting relationships with distant team members. Weekly team meetings provide an excellent opportunity to observe key team interactions that facilitate relationship and trust-building among team members. This study observed the weekly team meetings of engineering students attending two US universities and one Asian university as they collaborated as a single GV capstone GV team. In addition local team members were interviewed individually and collectively throughout the project to determine strategies that facilitated team relations and trust. Findings indicate the importance of student choice of virtual communication tools, the refining of communication practices, and specific actions to build trusting...

Abstract: Features: Provides a practice guide for clinical inquiry and research used to demonstrate practice outcomes Written by a senior faculty highly experienced in teaching the clinical inquiry course Illustrates the application of ‘Scholarship of Integration and Application’ core competency Presents content systematically from simple to complex Clearly written and useful as a guide for DNP student program/project design and evaluation

Abstract: Academic education of professional processes is challenged by a necessary balance of practical activities with academic reflection. In this paper we address this issue by discussing our experiences with teaching software engineering practices and their continuous improvement. By designing a graduate course we embed an intensive coaching routine based upon agile practices with research activities to leverage knowledge of students and coaches. As a concrete example of an embedded research project we conduct an experiment on the impact of two different meeting routines on the teams satisfaction with information exchange. Our results show that the intensive coaching in individual teams is shorter in nature and more appealing to the students. Our findings suggest that software engineering education can benefit from the notion of team routines and process improvement practices contributing to maturity of students and educators.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine how a real-world, sustainability-focused engineering capstone course affected students' critical thinking skills, student knowledge of sustainability, and student and faculty workloads. The research also investigated the effectiveness of a classwide jigsaw team approach. A combination of qualitative and quantitative assessment tools, including surveys, journals, interviews, and timecards, was employed to investigate the research questions. Results revealed that a real-world project with a focus on sustainability positively impacted students' critical thinking skills and led to increased knowledge of sustainability, but it also correlated with a high workload for students and faculty. Additionally, the jigsaw organization structure proved successful and yielded a positive team- building experience for the students. These results suggest open-ended problems with real project constraints can yield a uniquely beneficial learning experience without sacrificing the quality of student design or project deliverables. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000141. © 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Sustainable development; Students; Engineering education; Undergraduate study. Author keywords: Capstone; Sustainability; Real-world project; Critical thinking; Integrative thinking; Student workload; Faculty workload; Jigsaw team; Community-based project; Undergraduate engineering education.

Abstract: Universities are required to produce graduates with good technical knowledge and `employability skills' such as communication, team work, problem-solving, initiative and enterprise, planning, organizing and self-management. The capstone software development course described in this paper addresses this need. The course design contains three significant innovations: running the course for two cohorts of students in combination; requiring students to be team members in 3rd year and team leaders in their 4th (final) year; and providing assessment and incentives for individuals to pursue quality work in a group-work environment. The course design enables the creation of a simulated industrial context, the benefits of which go well beyond the usual, well-documented benefits of group project work. In order to deliver a successful outcome, students must combine academic theory and practical knowledge whilst overcoming the day-to-day challenges that face project teams. Course design enables the blending of university-based project work and work-integrated learning in an innovative context to better prepare students for participating in, and leading, multi-disciplinary teams on graduation. Outcomes have been compellingly positive for all stakeholders - students, faculty and industry partners.

Abstract: Considerable diversity exists among Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs regarding capstone projects, which reflect the knowledge gained and the competency achieved during the immersion experience. This article describes a conversation of the DNP capstone project among participants of the Committee on Institutional Collaboration DNP Invitational Conference. The focus of the dialogue was to discuss the intent and breadth of the DNP capstone project and how it demonstrates competencies, to consider in what way it differs from the PhD dissertation, and to identify the similarities and differences among multiple forms of the project in terms of scope and expected deliverables, as well as to examine other related issues. The participants addressed eight salient questions in an effort to clarify the value, form, and key elements of the final project. Responses to these questions are presented, and the agenda for a national dialogue regarding the capstone project is considered.

Abstract: In an effort to share best practices in undergraduate engineering design education, we describe the origin, evolution and the current status of the undergraduate biomedical engineering design team program at Johns Hopkins University. Specifically, we describe the program and judge the quality of the pedagogy by relating it to sponsor feedback, project outcomes, external recognition and student satisfaction. The general pedagogic practices, some of which are unique to Hopkins, that have worked best include: (1) having a hierarchical team structure, selecting team leaders the Spring semester prior to the academic year, and empowering them to develop and manage their teams, (2) incorporating a longitudinal component that incudes freshmen as part of the team, (3) having each team choose from among pre-screened clinical problems, (4) developing relationships and fostering medical faculty, industry and government to allow students access to engineers, clinicians and clinical environments as needed, (5) providing didactic sessions on topics related to requirements for the next presentation, (6) employing judges from engineering, medicine, industry and government to evaluate designs and provide constructive criticisms approximately once every 3-4 weeks and (7) requiring students to test the efficacy of their designs. Institutional support and resources are crucial for the design program to flourish. Most importantly, our willingness and flexibility to change the program each year based on feedback from students, sponsors, outcomes and judges provides a mechanism for us to test new approaches and continue or modify those that work well, and eliminate those that did not.

Abstract: Serious games are becoming increasingly popular as learning tools in management education. Owing to their engaging nature, they enhance students’ intrinsic motivation for learning and provide challenging environments for problem-based and experiential learning. However, they also require changes to instructional and pedagogical strategies in order to leverage the full potential of problem-based learning. This paper suggests using simulation games based on enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) to activate and integrate knowledge from different management disciplines. Our research contributions are threefold: First, we suggest a set of learning goals and a curriculum design for a capstone course that leverages ERP-based simulation games. Second, we present empirical insights based on a systematic evaluation of the learning outcomes with two cohorts of 32 students. Third, we derive a set of recommendations related to the role of ERP-based simulation games and course design in general management curricula.

Abstract: Purpose – Capstone subjects which link students approaching graduation with significant experiential learning and relevant industry placements, have the potential to be very valuable to students. This is particularly evident if they are able to critically reflect on the experience. In light of this, the School of Business at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle campus, sought to embed reflective practice and reflective writing within its Business Internship (capstone) subject. This paper aims to discuss this.Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a case study approach.Findings – Significant challenges emerged in relation to the student learning experience. Some students did not perceive the value of an internship, or of engaging in a professionally reflective process. Business students' differing academic literacy standards became apparent, as did the diverse experiences of international students. It became evident that students required explicit teaching and more thorough training ...

Abstract: Objective. To design and implement a required student-driven research program as a capstone experience in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Design. A research proposal in the form of a competitive grant application was required for each of 65 fourth-year students in an inaugural PharmD class at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York. The focus of the proposals was on hypothesis-driven research in basic science, clinical research, health outcomes, and public health. Assessment. Students’ research proposals were graded using a standardized grading instrument. On a post-experience survey, most students rated the overall experience positively, indicating increased confidence in their research skills. About two-thirds of faculty members were satisfied with their students’ performance, and the great majority thought the experience would be useful in the students’ careers. Conclusion. The capstone research project was a positive experience for fourth-year students.

Abstract: While advanced practice nursing students generally have good clinical skills, many lack the clinical scholarship capabilities that are required for writing scholarly proposals. The only resource of its kind, this is a practical guide for MSN project students and DNP capstone students who must plan and organise their clinical projects into quality proposals. It provides the requisite guidelines for integrating research and best evidence with clearly communicated professional objectives. The book's "how-to" approach helps to demystify the organisation and packaging of advanced practice clinical projects into tight proposals. The text includes an overview of basic scholarly approaches required for professional communication that support a diverse array of clinical project topics. Students interact with the content via ongoing prompts and questions that guide them in the kind of reflective writing that facilitates greater understanding of their projects and subsequent proposals. Chapters are organised into three broad sections with a logical flow toward completion of planning, writing, and communicating a project proposal. Each chapter is consistently organised to include objectives, tips for making proposals concise yet complete, and tools for self-assessment. Also included are key point summaries, reflective questions, and writing prompts. Additionally, the book provides plentiful checklists, five exercises that jump-start the process, examples of good writing, and additional resources for further study. Key Features: * Provides topflight guidance in proposal writing for nursing capstones and clinical projects* Details parameters for integrating scholarship with clearly communicated professional objectives* Contains numerous writing prompts and questions that guide students in reflective scholarly writing* Includes a project triangle framework, exercises to jump-start the process, examples of good writing, reflective questions, and tools for self-assessment* Offers helpful tips for making proposals concise yet complete

Abstract: This paper describes a multidisciplinary teaching program, designed to provide students with the broad knowledge and skills required to practice product development in robotics and mechatronics. The curriculum was designed to prepare students for the senior capstone design project, in which they design and build a working mechatronic/robotic system. It consists of a basic program in mechanical engineering, augmented with courses and laboratories in electronics, microprocessors, control, and computer programming. The early introduction of the specialty courses and the ample hands-on experience offered in the accompanying laboratories allows students to gain intuitive understanding of concepts that are usually foreign to mechanical engineers. The capstone design project attracts students to the program and serves as a beacon for the entire program. The program is now in its 11th year, receiving positive feedback from students and graduates.

Abstract: This article examines development opportunities for faculty teaching in Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs. Although faculty development for DNP programs is similar to that of other academic programs, faculty may need different strategies for teaching, scholarship, and service because DNP programs focus on translation of science into practice, systems-level changes, clinical scholarship, and the highest levels of advanced nursing practice. Faculty and student collaboration across DNP and PhD programs provide new approaches for translating research into practice and generating practice questions in need of further scientific development. Specific faculty development strategies for facilitating this collaboration are essential. Capstone projects pose special opportunities for faculty development due to the integration of these projects within diverse practice environments, with differing expectations, regulations, and pacing compared with research. Linking new care delivery models with health informatics is expected to facilitate rapid translation of research and development of improvements in practice.

Abstract: This report describes the experiences of the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy over 20 years with an international capstone educational experience for students. Although the university provides reciprocal opportunities to international students, this report focuses on the experiences of the college’s pharmacy students who have participated in the program. This capstone course is offered as an elective course in the advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) component of the college’s experiential program. Goals of the program and a brief description of its organizational structure are provided. Results of a structured student satisfaction survey and a survey covering the most recent 3 years of the program are presented. This program has greatly broadened participants’ cultural horizons and expanded their global view and understanding of the contributions of pharmacy to health care.

Abstract: Capstone project (CP) is an important part of every engineering and computer science discipline at undergraduate level The main purpose of these capstone projects is to encourage students to apply the knowledge acquired during their studies in previous semesters, in particular a capacity to personally manage and conduct a complex, open-ended project to show how proficient they are in solving real world or the research based problems The Outcome Based Education (OBE) is an education system that emphasis on outcomes measurement rather than inputs of curriculum covered Outcomes may include a range of knowledge, skills and attitudes In order to obtain the desired outcomes, teaching components and activities should be well organized, planned and continuously improved We adopted OBE in our curriculum and for the course on project work we have written course learning objectives (CLO), ie at the end of the course the student should be able satisfy these objectives and they are mapped with the program outcomes (PO) This paper presents a novel method for the outcome-based assessment of engineering capstone project carried by Final Year Students The assessment is done based on the rubrics written for each phase of the process The outcome of the each phase is assessed by evaluation team and the guide using the assessment matrix which is based on assessment rubrics Assessment matrix covers all the attributes/parameters for the assessment of each phase Mapping of CLO-PO is done based on these attributes Percentage of attainment of each objective and outcome are calculated

Abstract: The information systems capstone experience for undergraduate majors is a topic frequently discussed in academic circles within the field. Though very little consensus exists on this topic, there are core themes that emerge in the design, development, and delivery of the undergraduate capstone courses. Our analysis of prior literature reveals four components to capstone experiences that are often used in these courses, which include 1) a focus on real-world, complex information systems design, development, and integration; 2) the use of the case method to engage students in critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making; 3) the use of ePortfolios to assist students in integrating knowledge across the discipline and showcasing their learning to potential employers; and 4) an emphasis with the undergraduate information systems majors interacting with seasoned professionals in the field. These dimensions were carefully considered in the implementation of a capstone course at a large research extensive university in the southeastern United States. This project was funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program.

Abstract: The changing market for doctorally prepared workers led one institution to examine its overall approach to defining and supporting professional doctorates. After a review of existing scholarship and internal practices, a white paper was created to capture the various ways that these degrees can be distinguished from the academic doctorate (PhD) at this university. This article summarizes its key conclusions in areas such as relationship to the masters, program goals and foci, research training, the doctoral capstone, and faculty selection. Ways that these recommendations have begun to effect policies and practices at this particular institution are also highlighted, especially program development and evaluation.

Abstract: Marie C. Paretti is an Associate Professor of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech, where she co-directs the Virginia Tech Engineering Communications Center (VTECC). Her research focuses on communication and teamwork in engineering, design education, and engineering identity. She was awarded a CAREER grant from NSF to study expert teaching practices in capstone design courses nationwide, and is co-PI on NSF . Her work includes studies on the teaching and learning of communication, the effects of curriculum on design cognition, the effects of differing design pedagogies on retention and motivation, the dynamics of cross-disciplinary collaboration in both academic and industry design environments, and gender and identity in engineering.

Abstract: Many capstone strategic management courses use computer-based simulations as core pedagogical tools. Simulations are touted as assisting students in developing much-valued skills in strategy format...

Abstract: Undergraduate programs across the country are working to develop students as scholars, integrating independent scholarly experiences into traditional undergraduate classroom environments (see, e.g. George Mason University's Students as Scholars Quality Enhancement Plan; Boston University’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program; University of Houston’s Learning through Discovery; University of Michigan’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program; etc.). Scholars and universities have touted the benefits of engaging students in research experiences for students as well as faculty. However, there is little empirical work exploring how undergraduate students adapt to their new role as scholars. In this paper, we explore the process of students integrating research into their undergraduate classroom experience. Based on participant observation and pre and postsemester survey data, we discuss the process of students learning as scholars in a capstone Criminology, Law & Society course. We focus on how st...

Abstract: The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution was a 5-y teacher professional development project that aimed to increase teachers' content knowledge in Earth science and preparing them to teach a 12th-grade capstone Earth and Space Science course, which is new to the Texas curriculum. The National Science Foundation-supported project was designed around six principles that proved to be critical to in its success: (1) model best practices in workshop presentations, (2) use authentic Earth science data and cybertechnology to teach up-to-date content, (3) provide ongoing training to cohorts of learners over a 2-y period, (4) involve geoscience consortia and programs that can provide proven content for classrooms, (5) use ongoing evaluations to guide future workshops, and (6) provide opportunities for leadership development through participation in research and curriculum development projects. The project served 177 science teachers by supporting them with the pedagogical, technological, and scientific tools to teach modern geoscience. TXESS Revolution teachers directly impacted more than 29,000 students, of which about 69% are nonwhite, by exposing students in Texas to the geosciences and planting the seeds for them to pursue geoscience as a field of study. Using a train-the-trainer approach, TXESS Revolution teachers shared their professional development with other Texas teachers, strengthening Earth science education at all K-12 levels throughout the state, an impact that extends beyond preparation in Earth and space science. 2013 National Association of Geoscience Teachers. (DOI: 10.5408/12-348.1)