Assessing Media
Education:
A Resource for
Educators and Administrators
Edited by
William G. Christ
Chapter
21
The Capstone Course
by
Robert C. Moore
Department of Communications
Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 17022-2298
moorerc at etown dot edu
Chapter 21: The Capstone Course
Abstract
The
capstone course is an excellent opportunity for a comprehensive direct
assessment of student learning.
The capstone course described in this chapter integrates learning from
the courses in the major with the courses from the rest of the studentsÕ
academic experience. It is a
multi-faceted course that requires the application of knowledge to course
requirements and serves as an instrument of evaluation in all three modalities
of learning. The course fosters
interdisciplinary connections with other university departments and helps
address industry concerns and expectations. The chapter outlines a rationale for the course and a review
of the course design that requires four different capstone experiences.
EVALUATION AS A
TRADITION
In
examining a basis for the existence of a capstone course, the literature in the
field of Education, specifically Curriculum and Instruction, provides some
direction. From a wide variety of
definitions for curriculum, a definition by Hilda Taba seems particularly
useful because it specifies the elements of curriculum.
A curriculum usually contains a statement of aims and
of specific objectives; it indicates some selection and organization of
content; it either implies or manifests certain patterns of learning and
teaching, whether because the objectives demand them or because the content
organization requires them.
Finally, it includes a program of evaluation of the outcomes.Ó (Oliva,
1982, p. 7)
These
elements are not mutually exclusive.
Their integration should result in a positive and successful learning
experience. The critical last
element, evaluation, not only validates the learning, but also enables faculty
to revise and refine courses or curricula to continually attain desired
outcomes. Just as curriculum
development is a systematic process, curriculum evaluation is a systematic
process by which the studentsÕ total education is weighed.
Outcomes
assessment must be systematic.
Schools are called upon not only by academic and political demands but
also by the very ethics that underlie the profession, to develop numerous
direct and indirect measures of student learning to provide both proof and
accountability that the Academy is accomplishing those things that are
specified by it as important.
Volkwein (2003) suggests that a systematic plan of outcomes assessment
gives appropriateness to the mission statement, utility of the institutional
goals and objectives, adequacy of assessment measures, and the impact of programs
on students (p. 3).
In
2003, ACEJMC adopted a revision of accreditation standards. Regardless of a schoolÕs desire to
undergo accreditation, these standards provide a useful academic foundation for
curriculum design and development recognized nationally. Standard 2, in particular, deals with
curriculum design and stresses specific expectations that are to be included in
courses of study. Standard 9 is applicable in that it sets out numerous
expectations for student learning.
Incorporation of several of these expectations into a curriculum also
requires that they be able to be assessed.
The
capstone course is an excellent method of direct assessment. By its very nature, the capstone course
is a method of summative evaluation.
It not only assesses previous cognitive learning in the major, but also
provides a forum that allows an instructor to assesses the studentÕs overall
collegiate learning experience.
Since, in addition to cognitive skills, learning can occur in two other
domains [affective and psychomotor,] a capstone course allows for a mix of
evaluative styles that assess the broad range of the studentsÕ past experiences
(Kemp & Smellie, 1989, p. 20).
This approach also allows a student, who perhaps excels in one area more
than another, to demonstrate the strengths of his or her learning. Achievement in the cognitive
domain is usually represented by an ability to recall, understand and apply
knowledge. Evaluation of affective
learning is characterized by expression of feelings, values and attitudes
[especially regarding events, issues and topics related to, or impacting, the
studentsÕ field of study.]
Finally, psychomotor learning is evaluated by the application and
performance of skills. Ideally, a
studentÕs competence will be satisfactorily demonstrated in all three learning
modalities.
In
a summative evaluation of the studentsÕ experience in the university
curriculum, a capstone course is an instrument used to directly assess the
performance of students in the attainment of institutional and departmental
curricular expectations.
Additionally, it provides the opportunity to address and assess the
relevant accrediting standards and those of professional bodies. It is an in-depth opportunity for the
student to demonstrate accomplishment of the full spectrum of that
learning. A useful model for such
expectations is BloomÕs Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Bloom, 1956). These progressive levels of objectives
are: recall of knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The last three levels are higher-order
intellectual activity. They are
concerned more with the how and why of learning rather than the what.
Affective
learning has been referred to by Bloom (1971) as the implicit curriculum (p.
14). It is made up of attitudes,
interests, values and feelings derived by the student through learning and by
interaction with other learners and professors. The affective domain of learning advanced by David Krathwohl
(Kemp, 1975, p. 17) consists of five levels: receiving, responding, valuing, organization, and
characterization of a value complex.
This final level, the highest order, indicates that oneÕs beliefs,
ideas, and attitudes have been integrated into a total professional philosophy.
Psychomotor
learning is an on-going refinement process. Such learning is assessed as units and courses are
completed. Often, new courses
bring with them different and unusual forms of learning. For example, an oral performance course
may develop voice delivery to a more refined stage while a course in
interpretation may require a new application of that previously learned
skill. A course in video
production may require the development of an unfamiliar combination and
synchronization of finely coordinated movements. Psychomotor learning encompasses: gross bodily movements, finely coordinated movements,
non-verbal communication and speech behaviors (Kemp, 1975, p. 17).
The
capstone course expectations should be a display of a mastery of all three
modalities of learning and the ability to apply them to new, unusual and
integrated project requirements.
Table 21.1 specifies the progressive levels of achievement in each of
the learning modalities and the expectations of student performance in a
capstone course.
[Insert Table 21.1 about here]
Other
learning theories have been advanced that present reinforcing views of the
three domains of learning. Kemp & Smellie (1989) cite GagnŽ in clarifying
the hierarchical structure of learning and also note that learning is a
Òcumulative process. Basic
information or simple skills . . . contribute to the learning of more complex
knowledge and skills. [GagnŽ]
identified five categories of learning:
verbal information, intellectual skills, cognitive strategies, motor
skills, and attitudes . . . These [also] fall into three phases of learning
advanced by Bell-Gredler:
preparation for learning, acquisition and performance, and retrieval and
transfer [of knowledge, attitudes and skills]Ó (p. 16). Kemp & Smellie
(1989) also note that Merrill classifies outcomes of learning in two
dimensions. First, content is
drawn from advancing levels of facts, concepts, procedures, and
principles. The second outcome of
learning is performance characterized by remembering, using, and finding a
generality (p. 17).
These
approaches to learning provide a basis for course design and evaluation. Learning expectations of students
should increase with their advancement through a curriculum. A capstone course
might be designed that makes use of the increasing complexity of student
learning when the end of the process of instruction is reached. The course uses cumulative learning,
after all previous courses and objectives have been met, to relate to more than
a single concept; the course draws upon the whole of the learning experience
and requires that it be applied in a meaningful way.
Outcomes
Assessment and the Capstone Course
For too long, university curricula have seemed to be
too specialized and fragmented.
More often than not, students plodded from one course to another and
often were provided little opportunity to link the relevant content and skills
across the various courses. The
role of the capstone course is to draw all of that learning together and to
provide a single opportunity or experience during which a student demonstrates
that he or she has accomplished or achieved congruence with the university and
departmentÕs educational goals as represented by the appropriate mission
statements and courses taken (Volkwein, 2003, p. 3).
Unfortunately,
faculty often see few links between their courses and those of colleagues in
other departments. The learning
acquired by students in non-major courses was rarely applied to major courses
in a meaningful manner.
Curricula lacked integration of the total college academic
experience. It is no wonder,
then, that parents, legislators and other publics are demanding
accountability. They demand proof
that the education being provided is both sound and has produced the desired
learning in students.
The
reality of higher education today is that studentsÕ major programs cannot exist
in isolation from the rest of their education. While knowledge and discipline specific skills are
important, more universitiesÕ educational goals are embracing those outlined by
the Carnegie Report (Boyer, 1987) and by the Association of American Colleges
(AAC, n.d.). Schools are
recognizing that they Òshould be accountable not only for stating their
expectations and standards, but for assessing the degree to which those ends
have been metÓ (Kings College,
1986, p. 31). As Blanchard
and Christ (1993) state in Media Education and the Liberal Arts, Òthe outcomes method [of assessment] is the most
tangible and rational measure [for defining a liberal education]Ó (p. 13). The Michigan Professional Preparation
Network Report listing of ten potential professional/liberal outcomes can be
used as a framework to ascertain if a student has satisfactorily met the goals
of his/her education. As an
overall statement of the goals of learning, these outcomes provide a unifying
strategy for the studentsÕ entire curriculum as well as an excellent framework
for the major. The ten outcomes
listed by the Michigan report are:
1. Communication
competence is the ability to read, write, speak, and listen and to use these
processes effectively to acquire, develop, and convey ideas and information.
2. Critical
thinking is the ability to examine issues rationally, logically, and coherently.
3. Contextual
competence is an understanding of the societal context or environment
in which one is living and working.
4. Aesthetic
sensibility is an enhanced aesthetic awareness of arts and human behavior for both personal enrichment and
application in the enhancement of work.
5. Professional
identity is a concern for improving the knowledge, skills, and values of the profession.
6. Professional
ethics is an understanding of the ethics of a profession as standards that guide professional
behavior.
7. Adaptive
competence is anticipating, adapting to, and promoting changes important to a
professionÕs societal purpose and the professionalÕs role.
8. Leadership
capacity is exhibiting the capacity to contribute as a productive member of the profession and
assuming appropriate leadership roles.
9. Scholarly
concern for improvement is recognizing the need to increase knowledge
and to advance the profession through both theoretical and applied research.
10. Motivation
of continued learning is exploring and expanding personal, civic, and professional knowledge and skills
through a lifetime.
(Blanchard
& Christ, 1993, p. 15-16).
The
outcomes specified in the Michigan report and several of those specified in
ACEJMC Standards 2 and 9, by Newton (n.d., p. 1), or those drawn from the
proceedings of The Senior Year Experience and Students in Transition conference
(Cuseo, 1998, p. 22), provide a blueprint for higher education—a
benchmark by which institutional and departmental mission statements might be
based. Table 21.2 lists many of these outcomes expectations and indicates how
they can be categorized into one or more of the modalities of learning
previously discussed.
[Insert Table 21.2 about here]
Mission
Statements and a Rationale for the Capstone Course
The American Association of Higher Education (AAHE)
has said that Òassessment is most effective when it [is] multidimensional,
integratedÉwith explicitly stated purposesÉwhich illuminate questions that
people really care aboutÉwhich lead to improvement [and] promote[s] changeÓ
(AAHE, n.d.).
The capstone course may be the singular opportunity
to determine if the student has assimilated the various goals of his/her total
education. ÒThe purpose [of the
capstone course]Éshould be defined in light of each institutionÕs purposes (Smith,
B. L., 1998, p. 90). It can be a
self-directed, integrated, learning opportunity with goals established on
several levels. The first and most
global in nature are the general goals of higher education which have been
represented here as those articulated by the Michigan Report, AAHE, and others. They tend to be written as societal
goals for higher education. Based
upon these broad statements of outcomes, the university and department design
their mission statements using the philosophical approach to education most
congruent with that campusÕ culture and direction of that particular
department. These statements
of outcomes are the linchpins on which capstone courses are taught. They provide the focus for expectations
in the capstone course (see chapter three).
Each
academic department, in successfully formulating a mission statement, makes an
attempt to draw into its goals those of higher education and those of the
educational institution. Yet,
given the varied focuses possible in any discipline, especially communications,
the institution perspective is refined in the departmental document. Articulation of goals at this level is
vital. Here, the profile of
the educated individual is specified.
It is that profile, and the level of attainment of it, which is critical
in an outcomes assessment, in particular, the capstone course.
Wagenaar (1993) sets forth a rationale for capstone
courses by specifying key objectives that should be demonstrated by the
student:
1.
Integrating and
synthesizing the field;
2.
Extending the field;
3.
Critiquing the field;
4.
Applying the field;
5.
Addressing issues
raised inÉintroductory course(s), but at a higher level;
6.
Exploring key arguments
in the field;
7.
Making connections with
general education;
8.
Specific comparisons
with other fields;
9.
Critically thinking
generally and within the field;
10.
Examining values and
views of life.
(Murphy, P. D., 2003, p. 1).
Kings College (1986) sees these objectives as being
able to be articulated in what they refer to as Òtransferable skills.Ó They are
the skills a student masters throughout his or her learning and through which
he or she communicates attainment of the course goal. They are:
Òcritical thinking, creative thinking and problem solving strategies,
effective writing, effective oral communication, quantitative analysis,
computer literacy, library competency, . . .[research methods, and skills in
mediated communication]Ó (p.
23). Alverno College faculty
developed similar expectations as they defined an educated person (Smith, B.
L., 1998, p. 87).
In a study by Lockhart and Borland (2001), faculty
ranked the relative importance of several of these items for inclusion in a
capstone course. 91% of the
faculty surveyed rated Òthinking effectivelyÓ as the most major in importance
in a capstone course. Other
elements that were important included Òusing complex knowledge in making
decisions and judgmentÓ [82%], Òexercise and expand intellectual curiosityÓ
[67%], Òdevelop skills (as) life-long learnersÓ [64%], Òwrite effectivelyÓ
[53%], and Òthink across areas of specialization and integrate ideas from a
variety ofÉdisciplines and applied fieldsÓ [53%] (p. 21).
At Elizabethtown College, the attainment of many
institutional goals is incorporated into the course expectations as are the
goals and objectives of the departmental mission statement. These documents also incorporate either
directly or indirectly select ACEJMC expectations and those of several
professional associations. While
not all of these outcomes may be appropriate in all communication curricula,
requirements of the capstone course provide a means through which a faculty
member may judge a student's performance against those outcomes. (The institutional and departmental
mission statements referred to here can be found on the authorÕs homepage under
Research, Capstone Course at: http://users.etown.edu/m/moorerc/).
The capstone course at Elizabethtown College is
broader than courses with similar purposes at other institutions. Depending upon the nature of those
communication programs, capstone courses may be more or less specialized in
order to provide outcomes assessment appropriate to the department's mission.
Design
of the Communications Capstone Course
ÒLevine (1998, p. 56) reports that [only] two-fifths
of colleges and universities have employedÉ[the capstone approach,]Ó
HenscheidÕs (2000) research has shown that most capstone courses are in the
major. They often require a
project and a presentation but those that require a thesis tend to be at small
selective schools (p. 144). The focus of the capstone should be to design an
experience that integrates the discipline and the liberal arts. Further, it also creates an environment
to assess a variety of skills seen as important in higher education. A student as a ÒcompleatÓ communicator
must be able to meet the competencies set out by the institution and the
department. If skills development
is a part of the curriculum, demonstration of abilities must go beyond
"nuts and bolts."
Faculty expectations are that students will use their knowledge and the
information gathered to plan, design and produce original projects that
integrate various types of expression.
Such expectations provide a basis, indeed a mandate, for a capstone course
that can adequately assess such learning. Blanchard and Christ (1993) call this approach
Òcross-training . . . a flexible, fundamental, integrated approach to media
education . . .Ó (p. 32).
Learning,
not teaching, is at the center of capstone experiences. Mark V. Redmond (1998)
says that Òbreadth of understandingÉ[and] depth of abilitiesÓ are key aspects
to evaluating summary learning (p. 74).
Such courses are student-centered and seldom resemble those in
traditional classrooms. Problem
analysis, information sharing, creative solutions and projects drive the
capstone course. Student expression is critical to demonstrating successful
achievement of capstone course objectives. The professor should be a mentor and guide, a consultant or
counselor.
The
capstone course, as presented here, is based on applied research. Students presented with a new problem
must utilize their knowledge, experience, and abilities to plan and research
various solutions to the problem and then correctly apply the chosen solution
as an effective way to meet the purpose and goal of the problem. Multi-faceted problems present
challenges to the student that requires the use of knowledge gained in
divergent courses. Focusing that
knowledge in a single capstone course provides the opportunity for applied
research to meet varied demands.
Additionally, in professionally oriented programs, when Òreal worldÓ
problems are presented, then it is valuable that students will work with Òreal
worldÓ clients in developing solutions.
This practical/experiential component allows the student to begin to
develop a sense of professional identity by working with individuals already in
the field and jointly developing a meaningful project (see chapter seventeen).
Glaser (2000) calls such a task/real problem a
service learning experience and that its inclusion is critical to a
communication capstone course. For
students moving on to graduate school, systematic research and its application
provides excellent background and experience. The course begins a transition from school to an eventual career
as the students work closely with clients and actively draw upon past
learning. The benefits of such an
evolution include: the practice of
adaptive competence, establishment of the beginnings of a professional
identity, observation of professional ethics, and utilizing learning within the
context of oneÕs living and working environment--all key outcomes previously
cited as critical to higher education.
The
Capstone Course Goal
The
departmental and institutional mission statements, incorporating various
elements and the spirit of the Carnegie report, the Michigan report, and
authors Andreasan and Trede (1998), Carlson (1993), Smith (1993), and others,
provide a basis for the direction and development of curriculum at the
institutional and departmental level.
They also provide for a basis on which a capstone course goal might be
formulated. One such goal
statement for the course might be:
The capstone course is a culminating experience that
integrates coursework, knowledge, skills and experiential learning to enable
the student to demonstrate a broad mastery of specialized learning with that
from across the curriculum for a promise of initial employability and further
learning and career advancement.
The
Capstone Course Requirements
The
Carnegie Foundation recommends three instruments for measuring outcomes in a
capstone course. These
include: a senior thesis [which
draws on the historical, social, and ethical perspectives of the major,] an
oral presentation of the thesis with peer critique, and preparation of a
portfolio [see chapter twenty] (ÒPrologue and major recommendations,Ó 1986,
November 5, p. 22). Volkwein
(2003) concurs that outcomes assessment requires multiple measures of student
learning (p. 4). The capstone
course at Elizabethtown College requires four instruments to measure outcomes.
The Senior Thesis
The thesis examines the history, values, ethics and
social perspectives of the discipline related to a particular problem or
issue. The research study extends
the prior knowledge of the student through the conducting of a literature
review. The student then proceeds
to conceptualize the study, develop procedures, analyze the data and make
recommendations regarding the topic/problem.
The Senior Project
Students in professional or performance-based
curricula might be required to produce a project specifically tied to the
thesis. The purpose of the project
is to provide an opportunity for the research work to actually be a workable
solution to the problem presented.
Production or performance at this level not only demonstrates applied
skills and abilities but also allows for practically applied research.
The
projects that are selected Ò . . . follow three major guidelines. First, the student should believe that
there is a substantial need for the project. Second, the project must be approachable through recognized
communications knowledge and techniques.
Third, the project must be feasible within the time limits of the
courseÓ (Wallace, 1988, p. 36).
ÒUsing
projects as part of the content of such a course offers several
advantages. First, this format
provides for close contact with faculty . . . It provides practical
career-related experiences . . .
[and] offer[s] the student a sense of accomplishment as they serve . . .
in a quasi-professional, practical capacityÓ (Wallace, 1988, p. 35). Specifically, as a client project, it
is a collaborative effort at problem solving; it develops interpersonal skills
and uses evidence as a support for plans and decisions. Additionally, the concept of deadlines,
persuasive argument and personal responsibility are developed. Certainly, the project assists in
establishing better corporate/institutional relationships and possibly creates
partnerships among a schoolÕs various departments.
The
project demonstrates the level of achievement reached by the student in
communication and production skills.
It also, as an experiential project, requires the student to interact on
a close, personal and regular basis with a client. The integration of this internship type experience is a key
element in helping the student learn contextual and adaptive competence and in
developing a professional identity (Moore, 1987).
The Oral Defense/Presentation
The content of this performance is based upon the
integration of the thesis and the project. It is a defense/presentation of the research study; it
allows for a summarization of the literature review, discussion of its
procedures, data, and recommendations.
It also can review the project, exhibit the production or performance
and discuss its results applicable as a solution to the problem. As a public performance, oral and
non-verbal expression can also be assessed.
The Portfolio
A formal collection of works, which covers the full
collegiate career of the student, the portfolio provides the evidence,
documentation and best samples of various types of creative expression and
skills learning. Options exist for
this portfolio to be submitted as evidence of learning or as a tool to be used
in an employment search. In either
case, the portfolio should show that specific aims of the curriculum have been
mastered (see chapter twenty).
Applied
Research
The senior thesis and accompanying project require
the student to engage in intellectually productive research for a client. Typically referred to as applied
communications research, the goal of the work is to solve problems and bring
about change (Moore, 1988).
OÕHair, Kreps, and Frey (1990) listed the various characteristics of a
definition of applied research.
Generally, applied research is the practical design of a workable
solution for a real world problem designed specifically for a particular client
(p. 5).
Using
the terminology for the stages of applied research as identified by O'Hair
& Kreps (1990, p. 25), Table 21.3 lists and relates them to the capstone
course requirements, which incorporates the senior thesis and the accompanying
senior project. The course
requirements follow the systematic development of the research and literature
review and integrates them with the project as a workable solution to a
problem. Finally, and perhaps most
importantly, it specifies as a final stage the process of evaluation of the
solution.
[Insert Table 21.3 about here]
Each
of the course requirements, or learning measurement instruments, provides for
individual differences in learning and permits demonstrated achievement in
areas in which the student excels.
In Table 21.4, each instrument is related to the specific type of
learning modality applicable to it.
[Insert Table 21.4 about here]
These
course requirements enable the student to address and demonstrate achievement
of the various outcomes statements, goal of the course, and skills expected of
graduates of the curriculum by the institution. Table 21.5 summarizes and integrates those various aims of
education within applicable learning styles and course requirements. (The
course syllabus referred to here can be found on the authorÕs homepage under
Research, Capstone Course at: http://users.etown.edu/m/moorerc/).
[Insert Table 21.5 about here]
The capstone course is a learning experience that has
the ability to draw together many diverse elements of prior learning to help
determine if the academic goals and objectives of the institution and the
department have been achieved. As
a direct measure of student accomplishment of them, the course requirements
allow the faculty member to assess student learning and performance as having,
at least satisfactorily, met those expected outcomes.
The
capstone course at Elizabethtown College uses the ÒAimsÓ noted in Table 21.5 as
a basis for evaluating student performance in each of the course
requirements. They have been
translated into a student grading/evaluation guideline that sets levels of
performance in order for the student to be ÒsatisfactoryÓ or better in their
demonstrated performance.
This
rubric is a commentary about the standards for grading. It then lays out expectations for how
student performance will be evaluated in each of the course requirements. This guide is shared with students
early in the semester, reviewed often, and specifically referred to when the
instructor provides evaluative comments on the thesis, project, and oral
defense. Additionally, the
elements of Table 21.5 are referred to in comments made during evaluation. Students are expected to continually
refer to this grading/evaluation guideline so that they are also able to make a
self-assessment of the work prior to submission or performance. Students who are graded ÒsatisfactoryÓ
or higher on each of the course assessment instruments are judged to have met
the minimum expectations of the department mission and course goal and objectives.
(The standards and expectations referred to here can be found on the authorÕs
homepage under Research, Capstone Course at: http://users.etown.edu/m/moorerc/).
Advantages
of the Capstone Course
The position presented in this chapter, and the
examples provided, have focused on the integration of writing, speaking and
communicating through media. It
has also incorporated the need for a sense of aesthetics, creative expression
and experiential learning. The
nature of differing curriculums in communications, especially those without a
professional focus, requires the flexible application or alteration of capstone
course requirements as necessary in order for the assessment provided by the
course to be faithful to the specific mission statements of that department and
institution.
The
following list of advantages and characteristics of a capstone course are a
summary of the educative value of such an experience for students presented in
this chapter.
The
capstone course . . .
¥ allows for the adaptation and
integration of institutional mission
statements, departmental/school
mission statements, and course objectives to the general goals
of higher education.
¥ can be
a broad-based course drawing
together disciplines across the university. This allows for unique partnerships to develop between
departments resulting in a greater integration of them in the university
fabric.
¥ allows conclusions to be drawn from
student performance regarding the
level of involvement in the liberal arts
versus professional training. It
also enables faculty to
address perceived weaknesses in a curriculum. On-going assessment in the capstone
course allows for continual evaluation and development of the curriculum so
that students are demonstrating that they are learning what faculty thinks they are
teaching.
¥ as
curricula and expectations change or expand, the course can address and
incorporate new approaches and objectives.
¥ capstone courses can be tailored to
measure outcomes in any of the various divisions
or configurations of the communications field. Research projects can be applied to a wide variety of interests, issues
or professional settings.
¥ places expectations on students so
that they become independent learners. The course
is student-centered and self-directed allowing each student to work at a pace with which
he or she is most comfortable and in a direction suitable to career aspirations.
¥ requires
students to perform at higher level learning by requiring a student to engage in analysis, synthesis and evaluation
of past learning and apply it to new experiences. ÒFaculty report thatÉresearchÉ[is] the most effective method
to teach [such] critical thinking (Lockhart & Borland, 2001, p. 19).
¥ as a summative tool, provides the opportunity
to evaluate students at the end of their
major program of study and end of their collegiate career.
¥ is a multi-faceted
method of assessment. It goes beyond examinations and simple
projects by integrating various assessment strategies. These particularly include a senior
thesis, an applied project drawn from the thesis, a public oral
defense/performance and a portfolio.
¥ allows students to perform and excel in those learning modalities most appropriate to him or her.
¥ integrates skill demonstrations into
objectives of an experiential nature
providing a real
opportunity for business and industry alliances.
Disadvantages
of the Capstone Course
While one generally might not argue against the
evaluation of learning or against the summative evaluation of the entire
learning experience, capstone course experiences do have several
limitations. As such, the
departmental faculty needs to clearly be satisfied that this level and type of
assessment is adequate from which to draw conclusions about student achievement
and the curriculum.
The
capstone course . . .
¥ evaluates studentsÕ knowledge,
identity and skills subjectively.
¥ may allow less motivated and goal
oriented students too much flexibility
by focusing
on independent and self-directed learning.
¥
can be too unfocused unless the faculty monitors departmental curricular expectations as they evolve and adjust
the course.
¥ requires faculty to depart from
self-serving or specialized agenda
and focus on an integrated
experience where the ÒcompleatÓ communicator is more important than
the specialist.
¥ places great demand on student time,
learning and performance. Many students
may not be up to the task.
¥ may allow a student to excel in a
favored learning modality but does not easily assist students who perform in an average
way, or below, in other modalities. There
is typically no course of remediation for problems and failures.
¥ allows
a student to approach the goal of curricular integration but does not always
specify to what level that occurs.
It does not specify how various levels of success can be quantified
and translated into a summary of positive performance of attaining the curriculumÕs mission.
All
four instruments [thesis, project, defense/presentation, and portfolio] of
evaluation are strengths in the course.
They draw their success from their variety of approaches and the way in
which each of the course requirements integrate with each other to create a
complete picture of student achievement.
Yet, that variety and shear workload are very demanding in terms of
faculty and student commitment and time.
Although tempting to make the course less time consuming, elimination of
any one of the instruments weakens the course because each in isolation cannot
be the summative tool of assessment that they are when integrated. Any one of the instruments does not
allow for written, oral and mediated expression in all three modalities of
learning.
A
survey of a variety of types of capstone courses was conducted by Henscheid
(2000). The study reviews
structure, goal, objectives, requirements, operation, and many other aspects of
various capstone courses.
Conclusion
Communications programs have evolved greatly in the
last century. Having originated
from programs like English, curriculums gradually became more specialized and
moved further away from the core program of the university. In the more recent past, the field
became fragmented and more vocational (Rowland, 1991). Today, the debate has brought us back
to our roots, to the liberal arts.
The Ònew professionalismÓ positions the communications curriculum at the
center of the university program.
Driven by intellectual pursuit, the program espouses integration of
learning, linkages between departments, and, perhaps most importantly, the
elevation of the message to all-important status.
The
diverse fields that make up the discipline of communication are blending. Yet, the one unchanging element in the
mix is the message. ÒCreation of
the message, regardless of the medium, always has been at the core of
communication education. This is a
distinction that critics of the discipline have long failed to understand: What is most central to our curriculum
is not the how of communicating messages--what buttons to push or writing or
speaking style to affect-- but the what of message contentÓ (Pease, 1994, p.
9).
Such
is the focus and the value of the capstone course. The capstone course is the curricular embodiment of
convergence. The course is the
single opportunity for all of the knowledge and skills to be drawn
together. The course ties
knowledge and experience together, from the totality of the student educational
experience requiring a critical assessment and unique application of four years
of learning to the successful completion of course requirements. Drawn into the mix are the course
expectations that university core courses, and those from any configuration of
courses selected, will be drawn upon to demonstrate a command of knowledge and
ability. The course defines a
basic education, a basic expectation; it outlines a level of academic and
professional performance that fosters criticism and creativity. The capstone course draws together the
expected outcomes of higher education, the institution and the department into
one educational experience so that those who graduate have shown that they
possess more than a sheepskin.
They
are: Ò. . . well-informed,
inquisitive, open-minded young people who are both
productive and reflective, seeking answers to lifeÕs most important questions
. . . who not only pursue their own personal
interests but are also prepared to fulfill their social and civic
obligationsÓ (ÒPrologue and major
recommendations,Ó 1986, November
5, p. 16).
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Table
21.1
Learning
Expectations in a Capstone Course
Cognitive
Learning Course
Expectations
Recall of Knowledge Students
are presented with a
Comprehension problem
and draw upon their
Application knowledge
and research to weigh
Analysis and
select various data leading
Synthesis to
a solution of the problem
Evaluation which
is workable and
intellectually
defensible.
Affective Learning
Receiving The
approach and decisions
Responding made
reflect attitudes, values,
Valuing feelings
and beliefs characteristic of Organization the
discipline and the profession.
Value
Complex
Psychomotor
Learning
Gross Bodily Movements The
production of a project
Finely Coordinated Movements solution
to a problem and the oral and visual presentation of it,
Non-verbal
Communication reflects
a degree of skill
Speech
Behaviors competency
as a communicator.
Table 21.2
Integrating
Expected Outcomes With The Modalities of Learning
Cognitive
Learning Affective
Learning Psychomotor
Learning
Communication
Critical Thinking X X
Contextual Competence
(concepts,
theories) X X
Aesthetic/Creative
Competence X X
Professional Roles & Ethics X
Adaptive Competence X X X
Leadership Capacity
(ability
to be independent) X
Scholarly Concern for
Motivation for Continued
Learning X X
Research Capacity X
Table
21.3
The
Applied Research Model for the Senior Thesis and Project
Problem
Identification Client
interviews, project selection, research question
& analysis.
Conceptualization Literature
search: informal & institutional
sources, library & database
sources, interviews.
Operationalization Transform
the research findings into
concrete approaches to solving the problem. Selecting project strategies based on
evidence, credibility & audience.
Measurement Pre-production
strategies, data gathering, observations,
interviews relevant to the production
of the project.
Analysis Project
production. Analysis of
techniques, approaches,
results of the project.
Recommendations Discuss
the ways in which the solution solved
the problem: successes,
weaknesses, suggested
revisions.
(Adapted
from OÕHair & Kreps, 1990, p. 25).
Table 21.4
Outcomes
Instruments as Related to Learning Modalities
Instrument
Cognitive Learning Affective
Learning
Psychomotor Learning
Senior
Thesis X X
Senior
Project X X X
Oral
Presentation X X X
Portfolio X X
X
Table
21.5
Aims
Achieved by the Evaluation Instruments
|
|
Thesis |
Project |
Presentation |
Portfolio |
|
Cognitive Learning |
Scholarly concern for advancing the profession
through research. Improve one's knowledge of the profession or
discipline. Ability to acquire, develop, convey, and integrate
knowledge & information. Critically examine issues. Quantitative/qualitative analysis. Evaluation of data collected and conclusions
related to issues of thesis. |
Advancing the professional through applied
research. Adaptive competence in relating knowledge to a
project. Discrimination between concepts applying relevant
approaches to the problem. Creative thinking and design of solutions: organization, treatment,
production. Leadership capacity to initiate, manage and carry a
project to conclusion. |
Understanding of the communication/ presentation
process: informative, narrative
persuasive, etc. Use of supporting strategies and information: non-verbal communication, imagery,
visual support, ethos-pathos, questioning, presentation of proof or
reinforcement. Strategy for organization: comparison/contrast, problem solving,
etc. Understanding the audience, shaping of ideas
appropriately. |
Works exhibit a broad range of abilities. Shows imagination, concept development. Shows an under-standing of the responsibilities and
attributes of a communicator. |
|
Affective Learning |
Understand the societal context of learning. Convey professional values and ethics. Show motivation for continued learning |
Applying knowledge, skills, values of profession or
discipline to a new or unique problem. Assume a professional identity and exhibit
professional responsibilities Shows aesthetic sensibility. |
Assumption of a proper professional identity
appropriate for delivery of the thesis or project. Display an attitude for performance that indicates
mastery of verbal techniques:
clarity, relevance, effectiveness. Creative planning and presentation of thesis and/or
project. |
Professional value & interest is evident in
preparation of the work. Presentation of work represents a professional
identity. Creative approach to the display of work. |
|
Psycho-motor Learning |
Competence in reading, writing,
research. Computer Literacy. Library Competency. |
Mastering the skills of the profession
and application of them to a project.
Design, writing scripting, visual representation & production. |
Performance Skills: non-verbal communication; oral
communication skills;
mediated presentation. Presentation skills & organization. Production and use of supporting
materials. |
Collection of mastered skills and
abilities. Technical acumen evident in displayed
work. |