Abstract: Discussions about the relationships between formative and summative assessment have come full circle after decades of debate. For some time formative assessment with its emphasis on feedback to students was promoted as better practice than traditional summative assessment. Summative assessment practices were broadly criticised as distanced from the learning process. More recently discussions have refocused on the potential complementary characteristics of formative and summative purposes of assessment. However studies on practical designs to link formative and summative assessment in constructive ways are rare. In paramedic education, like many other professional disciplines, strong traditions of summative assessment assessment ‘of ’ learning have long dominated. Communities require that a graduate has been judged fit to practice. The assessment redesign described and evaluated in this paper sought to rebalance assessment relationships in a capstone paramedic subject to integrate formative assessment for learning with summative assessment of learning. Assessment was repositioned as a communication process about learning. Through a variety of frequent assessment events, judgement of student performance is accompanied with rich feedback. Each assessment event provides information about learning, unique to each student’s needs. Each assessment event shaped subsequent assessment events. Student participants in the formal evaluation of the subject indicated high levels of perceived value and effectiveness on learning across each of the assessment events, with broad agreement also demonstrated relating to student perceptions for preparedness: ‘readiness to practice’. Our approach focused on linking assessment events, resulted in assessments providing formative communication to students and summative outcome information to others simultaneously. The formativesummative dichotomy disappeared: all assessment became part of communication about learning.

Abstract: Capstone design courses are common in engineering design programs, but they vary substantially across institution anddepartment. The goal of the decennial capstone design survey initiative is to capture data from capstone design coursesevery ten years to identify current practices and changes over time. In keeping with its predecessor surveys, the 2015capstone design survey included questions on course logistics, pedagogy, evaluation, faculty, students, projects and teams,expenses and funding, and sponsors. The 2015survey captured data from 522 respondents at 256 institutions, documentingthe variety of implementation strategies for capstone design programs across the U.S. These data include quantitative andcategorical responses about current practices and open-ended responses about respondent experiences and opinion. Thispaper presents the current state of capstone design education, draws comparisons across disciplines, and highlightschanges within capstone design practices over the past 20 years. These surveys and the data gathered therein are animportant first step in understanding, assessing, and ultimately improving engineering capstone design education.

Abstract: Dissertations are positioned as the capstone of an undergraduate degree, bringing together what students have previously learned from their programmes through a piece of independent research. However, there is limited research into the ways in which engaging in a dissertation has an impact on students’ understandings of disciplinary knowledge. In this article, we explore the relations between students’ accounts of sociological knowledge in their second and third years and how they engage with sociological knowledge in their dissertations. We argue that for the work of the dissertation to have an impact on students’ understanding of sociological knowledge, students need to see their discipline as providing a way of answering their research questions. We explore the implications of this argument for both our understanding of the role of dissertations and research-based learning in universities more generally.

Abstract: A capstone ePortfolio is a digital space where students can gather and integrate their learning experiences from their undergraduate careers into a meaningful whole, demonstrate their growth as learners, and connect their learning to the world. The process of creating a capstone ePortfolio equips students with the digital composition skills necessary for creating a professional career ePortfolio, helping them to showcase their strengths for future employment and for graduate or professional school applications. This project piloted an undergraduate capstone ePortfolio program designed to be the culminating experience for juniors upon completion of the general education program (i.e., core curriculum). Pilot program results, based on a group of 18 students from a variety of academic and demographic backgrounds, suggest that the capstone ePortfolio program can serve as a vehicle for promoting reflection, critical thinking, digital literacy and composition, and integration of curricular experiences. This article presents the results of a mixed-method assessment of the pilot and discusses how these results will be used to frame the semester-long capstone ePortfolio program for the undergraduate general education program at a large AAU research institution.

Abstract: Because engineers are responsible for the design phase of projects where decisions impacting sustainability are most effectively made, it is important to ensure that students are equipped with the necessary conceptual knowledge to engage in sustainable design. Consequently, undergraduate engineering curricula are being reformed to address sustainability-related concepts and topics. In addition, previous work has demonstrated that beyond curricular content, innovative pedagogical approaches are also important for enhancing student learning. The goal of this work was to examine the impact of a learning-cycle-based sustainability module on students’ conceptual understanding of sustainability in two varying institutional contexts. The module was integrated into the first course in the capstone design sequence at James Madison University, where sustainability was incorporated throughout the curriculum. The module was also integrated into a capstone design course at the Georgia Institute of Technology, ...

Abstract: Journalism education may be at a tipping point. It is unclear, however, what new form curricula might take. Through an analysis of individual course titles and descriptions that appeared in the 2013-2014 undergraduate catalogs of 68 selected universities, this exploratory study finds that most departments/schools are not offering classes that reflect pedagogical approaches recently promoted in professional literature (e.g., hospital model, entrepreneurship, apprenticeship) nor are they responding to calls for greater integration between the classroom and industry via quasi-professional experiences. Journalism programs are, instead, relying on historically recognized and accepted models—such as practicum and capstone.

Abstract: Soft skills are increasingly important to the engineering profession and course modifications are often needed to ensure students have opportunities to practice them prior to graduation. This suggests that engineering programs need to go beyond simply offering industry-based capstone courses and internships. Role-play has a long history as a tool for learning. It can be used to simulate real world practices in environments where consequences can be mitigated safely. This paper discusses the use of team role-play activities to simulate the experience of working in a professional, game development studio as a means of enhancing an advanced undergraduate game design course. In conjunction with the role-play, a gamification framework was used within the course to allow students to customize their course participation. Gamification was used to reward students for compliance with software process steps and for taking the initiative to improve their “soft skills”. In this project allowing students to negotiate the nature of their activities and rewards helped them develop those skills. The student feedback obtained and the authors' own lessons learned are being used to plan the next iteration of this course.

Abstract: A ‘flipped’ approach to the delivery of higher education is becoming increasingly possible as older style teaching rooms are adapted to seamlessly integrate interactive technologies. This paper describes challenges in refining a capstone strategic marketing course as it transitions to a ‘flipped’ mode. The current course already has many ‘active’ learning elements that encourage student participation. However, in suggesting a move to a ‘flipped classroom’, the increased opportunity for meaningful peer interaction should further reinforce the main course objective – to equip students to cope in an uncertain world. Fine-tuning the course draws on notions of co-creation found in both the marketing and educational literatures. The conclusion of this paper is that the aims of a strategic marketing course, to provide resilient thinking marketing strategists, would sit well with a pedagogy that encourages students to participate in collaborating in their own learning in a dedicated shared learning ‘space’.

Abstract: n this research, we implemented a new capstone framework to integrate the Daft’s 4MF model and Building InformationModeling (BIM) technology in project-based teaching for student competency improvement. The operational structuredmanagement framework of BIM Capstone is critical to Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) students tosynthesize knowledge contents with innovative technical support. We addressed the following extensive concerns in thedesign of the competency-based BIM Capstone: (1) How to develop a highly integrated CEM curriculum with thespecialization in multi-mode communication and collaboration; (2) How to organize and lead the students’ efforts in thefinal stage of their learning to encourage analysis skills and involvement; and (3) How to assess the effectiveness ofexperiential learning and students’ ability to take responsibilities in the application of their professional knowledge. Theframework included Daft’s 4MF model for the definitions of competency expectations, systematic demonstration andanalysis of integrated project management, CEM learning phases for the vertical correlation between the capstone learningphases, and team-based learning environment with BIM technology for knowledge integration. This research providedempirical studies to progressively draw upon a wide range of theories and dimensions to build a complex learning modelwhich built an accessible, understandable and operable structure. The novelty of the research is the implementation ofDaft’s 4MF model for knowledge integration in BIM capstone.

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of the ways that ethics and societal impacts (ESI) are taught and assessed in senior capstone design courses by engineering faculty. A national survey was conducted in spring 2016 that asked engineering and computing faculty to report the types of courses where they incorporated ESI. Among the 1216 respondents who incorporated these topics into one or more courses, 486 (40%) indicated that they taught these topics in capstone design across a range of disciplines. The ESI topics taught by over half of the capstone design instructors included: professional practice issues, safety, engineering decisions in the face of uncertainty, and engineering codes of ethics. On average, individuals (n=212) reported using five different methods to teach students about ESI in their capstone courses, most commonly: engineering design projects (70%), in-class discussions (58%), case studies (58%), examples of professional scenarios (57%), and lectures (55%). This range of methods appears to involve the cognitive, affective, social, and psychomotor domains of learning, which has been proposed as providing an effective way to improve ethical reasoning. For assessment of ESI learning, an average of two methods were used per course with a maximum of 8 methods reported; 10% did not assess ESI knowledge. The most commonly used assessment methods were: group-based written assignments (47%), individual reflections (33%), and individual homework assignments graded with a rubric (31%). Instructor satisfaction with the ability to assess the outcomes of societal context and ethics instruction was weakly correlated with the number of assessment methods used (correl. coeff. 0.25). Among all survey respondents 62% believed that undergraduate students in their program learned about ESI via capstone design, the most commonly identified course type. The results of this study indicate that ethical and societal impact issues can be readily incorporated into capstone design courses in any discipline, and provides examples of effective teaching and assessment methods.

Abstract: Project-based courses can provide valuable learning experiences for computing majors as well as for faculty and community partners. However, proper coordination between students, stakeholders and the academic team is very difficult to achieve. We present an integral study consisting of a twofold approach. First, we propose a proven capstone course framework implementation in conjunction with an educational software tool to support and ensure proper fulfillment of most academic and engineering needs. Second, we propose an approach for mining process data from the information generated by this tool as a way of understanding these courses and improving software engineering education. Moreover, we propose visualizations, metrics and algorithms using Process Mining to provide an insight into practices and procedures followed during various phases of a software development life cycle. We mine the event logs produced by the educational software tool and derive aspects such as cooperative behaviors in a team, component and student entropy, process compliance and verification. The proposed visualizations and metrics (learning analytics) provide a multi-faceted view to the academic team serving as a tool for feedback on development process and quality by students

Abstract: The engineering profession is increasingly recognizing that engineers’ abilities to utilize a systems perspective and collaborate on multidisciplinary teams are critical professional competencies required to solve contemporary engineering challenges. Understanding context, including but not limited to social and cultural context, is one aspect of systems thinking that is important to effective problem-solving, yet such training is not yet standard in our engineering curricula. Humanitarian engineering-related capstone design projects offer both hands-on and field opportunities to integrate social and cultural appropriateness into a formal engineering design curriculum. Over the 2015-2016 academic year, Oregon State University offered a capstone project aimed at optimizing and implementing an improved soap-making process for TERREWODE, a non-governmental organization in Uganda. The ultimate goal of this soap-making project was to expand income-generating opportunities for victims and survivors of obstetric fistula. The project consisted of a six-month, on-campus design phase and a three-week field implementation and research trip in Soroti, Uganda. Six Social Justice (SJ) criteria were used in assessing project context and developing design requirements. Throughout the design phase, experimental testing drove the majority of design decisions. During field implementation and research, the three-student capstone design team worked closely with TERREWODE and their members to optimize the process, understand cultural conditions, and recommend options for potential local solar power systems.

Abstract: The Senior Capstone Design course is one of the most important in the four-year industrial engineering curriculum. The course concludes the Industrial Engineering (IE) student’s undergraduate studies, satisfying the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology’s (ABET) requirements and allowing students to work in collaborative teams. Service-learning is an educational approach that integrates academics with community service; students apply classroom content to community problems, thereby enhancing learning while providing needed services to underserved populations. The proposed service-learning aims to address all the ABET requirements as well as involve a collaborative research partnership in which students conduct research to meet a community organization’s needs. The deliverables for this project include (1) a detailed report describing the design, analysis, performance, and alternative approaches, (2) the physical prototype developed by the team, and (3) a network of experienced young professionals who can be recruited as employees for local community organizations. A pre-test and post-test were administered at the beginning and end of the semester to assess learning over time. These tests were specifically assessing student confidence in ability to transition smoothly from academia to professional environments. In addition, a mid-semester survey was used to gather detailed information about stakeholder reactions, learning, and behaviors.

Abstract: Final program projects (capstone course) in manufacturing design engineering technology at National University are intensive experiences in critical thinking and analysis, designed to broaden students’ perspectives and provide an opportunity for integration of coursework in the area of manufacturing design engineering This paper focuses on three specific capstone projects that were worked on in an undergraduate manufacturing design engineering program The projects include an office chair design, development of an improved balloon marker placement system for catheter manufacturing, and a modular motorcycle helmet design This paper summarizes the design methodologies and strategies that were adopted by the students and faculty In addition, this paper draws on the experiences gained from working on these projects to describe how a capstone project in manufacturing design engineering should be designed for maximum effectiveness In this context, this paper presents a useful do’s and don’ts list

Abstract: The creative process is fun, complex, and sometimes frustrating, but it is critical to the future of our nation and progress in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), as well as other fields. Thus, we set out to see if implementing methods of active learning typical to the theater department could impact the creativity of senior capstone design students in the bioengineering (BE) department. Senior bioengineering capstone design students were allowed to self-select into groups. Prior to the beginning of coursework, all students completed a validated survey measuring engineering design self-efficacy. The control and experimental groups both received standard instruction, but in addition the experimental group received 1 h per week of creativity training developed by a theater professor. Following the semester, the students again completed the self-efficacy survey. The surveys were examined to identify differences in the initial and final self-efficacy in the experimental and control groups over the course of the semester. An analysis of variance was used to compare the experimental and control groups with p < 0.05 considered significant. Students in the experimental group reported more than a twofold (4.8 (C) versus 10.9 (E)) increase of confidence. Additionally, students in the experimental group were more motivated and less anxious when engaging in engineering design following the semester of creativity instruction. The results of this pilot study indicate that there is a significant potential to improve engineering students' creative self-efficacy through the implementation of a "curriculum of creativity" which is developed using theater methods.

Abstract: In the strategic management course, students select, analyze, and present viable future alternatives based on information provided in cases or computer simulations. Rather than understanding the en...

Abstract: Many graduate programs for professionals (public policy, public administration, business, international affairs, and others) use client-based experiential learning projects, often termed “capstones,” in which students combine theory and practice to benefit an outside client. Increasingly, undergraduate programs use client-based capstones as well, whereby students work with a client over a semester to solve a problem. Evidence suggests that students value these experiences and clients often describe value created as well. However, evidence also suggests that both students and clients can experience a mismatch of expectations, gaps in information, misunderstandings, and frustrations in the process of working together. With the objective to enhance learning for students and create value for clients, reframing the capstone project as a “negotiation in multiple domains” rather than a “fixed problem to be solved” has potential benefits for the student, the client, and the learning process. The approach may have implications for a broad range of team-based problem-solving initiatives. This paper, using the team-based capstone experience of the “International Development in Practice” class at the University of Notre Dame, explores how an integrated negotiations approach contributes to the capstone value creation and learning experiences.

Abstract: This study focuses on the two main design approaches applied to the guidance of student product development duringcapstone design courses through a comparison of two major approaches: traditional design process (TDP) and designthinking (DT). The objective of this paper is to discuss the impact of these design approaches on student activities,outcomes, and learning. Our research, conducted over three years, compared two courses offered at the same university,one applying TDP and the other DT. The research method consisted of three phases: (1) a comparison of the coursestructures and materials; (2) an analysis of deliverables from 50 design projects developed by 274 students, which was basedon documentation and prototypes; and (3) a quantitative survey of the students. Results show that the DT-based coursecharacteristics, suchas extendedtime dedicated toprototyping cycles,limited the possibilityof addressing someof the TDPmethods (e.g. Quality Function Deployment) in the course timeframe shared by the two approaches. Results also suggestthat, despite the shortcomings related to documentation, the DT-based course led to more innovative prototypes whencompared to the TDP-based course. It was also notable that the DT course led to increased student self-efficacy in terms ofinnovation and increased technical knowledge. The results of this study are applicable for supporting the selection ofdesign approaches and the definition of course activities in capstone design project courses.

Abstract: We developed a capstone science methods course to better support preservice teachers in learning how both to teach science in ways attentive to English Language Learners (ELLs) and to develop an adaptive disposition to engage in reflection on their teaching of ELLs. Our course embodies three principles: (1) building from students’ funds of knowledge; (2) implementing cognitively demanding tasks; and (3) providing opportunities for rich language and literacy exposure and practice. Our methods and analysis were guided by three research questions: How did preservice science teacher participants understand the three principles of our capstone course? What successes and struggles did they identify when attempting to use these three principles to inform their classroom practice? What suggestions did they have for ways to improve the course? From our qualitative analysis of interviews with preservice science teachers, we found they were better at describing and identifying language rich opportunities for their students than at identifying ways they used their students’ funds of knowledge to inform their instruction. We also found that they felt they would benefit from knowing how to identify the needs of ELLs and how to better differentiate instruction for students. These findings make clear that we can certainly improve this capstone course. Still, our goal remains to foster the development of an adaptive disposition so that preservice science teachers can effectively work with their unique and diverse group of ELLs, not only as student teachers in a temporary placement but also as beginning teachers in their own science classrooms.

Abstract: Engineers and industrial designers have different approaches to problem solving. Both place heavy emphasis on identification of customer needs, manufacturing methods, and prototyping. Industrial designers focus on aesthetics, ergonomics, ease of use, manufacturing methods, and the user's experience. They tend to be more visual and more concerned with the interaction between users and products. Engineers focus on functionality, performance requirements, analytical modeling, and design verification and validation. They tend to be more analytical and more concerned with the design of internal components and product performance. Engineers and industrial designers often work together on project teams in industry. Collaboration between the two groups on senior capstone design projects can teach each to respect and value the unique contributions each brings to the project team, result in improved design solutions, and help prepare students for future collaboration in industry. Student feedback and lessons learned by faculty and students from a ten-year collaboration between engineering and industrial design students from Marquette University and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, respectively, are presented. Students learned to communicate with people in other disciplines, appreciate the complementary skills of each discipline, and value different approaches to problem solving.

Abstract: Objectively assessing student creative work in the fields associated with mass media can be problematic. Communicating expectations to students, as well as providing them with a clear yet flexible ...

Abstract: In order to address complex and multi-disciplinary world problems, it is necessary to create a diverse engineering work force composed of competent and creative individuals prepared to meet current and future global challenges. The entrepreneurial skillset has become increasingly important in this area; the vocational skills that a student learns can be augmented by an understanding of how business operates as well as an appreciation that enterprise skills can be applied within an organization. Traditional university programs lack the teaching methods to turn today’s students into innovative and creative leaders who can integrate both the engineering and business skills necessary to succeed in this technology driven global economy. The developed curriculum integrates engineering skills with entrepreneurial creativity by placing engineering and business students on the same projects in the same physical space to facilitate cross-pollination of knowledge in a collaborative learning environment to create technology savvy entrepreneurs. This paper outlines the curriculum framework, a discussion of the resources required, overviews of typical industry projects, a discussion of evaluation criteria, and a discussion of the benefits.

Abstract: While many institutions express interest in integrating sustainability into their civil engineering curriculum, the engineering community lacks consensus on established methods for infusing sustainability into curriculum and verified approaches to assess engineers’ sustainability knowledge. This paper presents the development of a sustainability rubric and application of the rubric to civil engineering senior design capstone projects to evaluate students’ sustainability knowledge at two institutions. The rubric built upon previous assessment approaches to

Abstract: In designing a capstone experience, legal educators may encounter a number of tensions between competing pedagogical imperatives and conflicting capstone principles. Should we focus on teaching content or should we focus on developing skills? Should we emphasise integration and consolidation of knowledge, or transition and the development of professional identity? Should we encourage specialisation of knowledge and skills or should we be offering a broader view that takes account of context and diversity? This article considers how these tensions may be revealed, negotiated and managed, using a case study of a postgraduate capstone unit in international law. In doing so, the article adds to the literature on capstone units in law, which has to date focused on the undergraduate experience, and demonstrates that the existing work on capstones can be successfully applied in the postgraduate context. The article further argues that postgraduate units may offer particularly useful vehicles for exposing the pedagogical tensions involved in designing a capstone experience and experimenting with techniques for managing those tensions.

Abstract: An objective internal departmental review of course data indicates that a one credit hour fall seminar course which allows many preparatory topics to be engaged by the senior capstone teams makes the spring laboratory portion of the course run more smoothly. Professional topics such as team building, oral and written communication skills, and organizational interaction have been suggested by industrial partners and are now integrated into the course sequence before the students perform their physical work, reducing issues during the lab component. Course adjustments are on-going, and in the spirit of continuous improvement, those adjustments are periodically evaluated for effectiveness. It has been statistically demonstrated that the addition of an internally reviewed feasibility pitch early in the fall semester has resulted in better external reviews for both the fall management and spring technical design presentations. Likewise, providing the chance for the teams to see a video tape of their final presentation, before it is reviewed by various outside parties, has resulted in significantly better final presentations. In general, the formation of all engineering and mixed teams has been found to produce better end projects than those created by all technology-based student teams. These elements and other demonstrated positive changes to the Xxxxxx Agricultural & Biological Engineering capstone sequence can be described as cultivating professional attributes, and the experience is reviewed in this paper.

Abstract: This study aimed to provide evidence-based conclusions from students concerning a capstone-design course in a civil engineering programme in Hong Kong. The evidence was generated by designing a student-experience questionnaire. The questionnaire instrument was assessed for internal consistency in four scales (curriculum and structure changes; design and problem solving; personal and transferable skills; and Industrial-Links and Real-Life Authentic Academic Knowledge). The internal structure of each scale was also examined separately. Overall, the findings suggest that this internal structure is uni-dimensional in nature and has good internal consistency. Our quantitative and qualitative data have provided support on the student learning experience in the reformed capstone-design: how students were able to develop depth and breadth in engineering knowledge and skills that were previously not covered by teachers in conventional taught courses to enhance student learning. Rationale and changes of the curricu...

Abstract: A community partnership between the Collins Academy, Jefferson, Texas, and the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, developed a plan to manage the 38 acre Port Jefferson History and Nature Center, located on Big Cypress Bayou. Students used knowledge of the resources; GPS (global positioning systems), ArcGIS 10.3, presentations and posters to complete the project. Reflection with the community partners continued throughout the project and as guidance for future work. The project received a service learning award for engaged student learning.

Abstract: Marie C. Paretti is a Professor of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech, where she co-directs the Virginia Tech Engineering Communications Center (VTECC). Her research focuses on communication in engineering design, interdisciplinary communication and collaboration, design education, and gender in engineering. She was awarded a CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation to study expert teaching in capstone design courses, and is co-PI on numerous NSF grants exploring communication, design, and identity in engineering. Drawing on theories of situated learning and identity development, her work includes studies on the teaching and learning of communication, effective teaching practices in design education, 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.