Session Type
Individual Paper/ Presentation (generally grouped with 2-3 others into a 75 minute session)
Topic
Retention/High-Impact Practices
Session Abstract
Capstone courses are generally considered high-impact and transformative for students. In the process of redesigning the officially-designated capstone course for the environmental sciences and studies program at Winthrop University, the author discovered that there is no clear definition of what this senior culminating experience should be. Formats at Winthrop range from community field placements to individual research papers; course goals range from integrative discipline-based learning to career preparation to program assessment. Using course syllabi, catalog descriptions, and a questionnaire for department or program chairs, an analysis will be presented of the variety of experiences, formats, and goals for all undergraduate capstone courses at Winthrop University
Keywords
transformative, integrative, capstone, program assessment
Location
DiGiorgio Campus Center 220
Start Date
6-2-2016 1:30 PM
Capstone Courses at Winthrop University: What Are They?
DiGiorgio Campus Center 220
Capstone courses are generally considered high-impact and transformative for students. In the process of redesigning the officially-designated capstone course for the environmental sciences and studies program at Winthrop University, the author discovered that there is no clear definition of what this senior culminating experience should be. Formats at Winthrop range from community field placements to individual research papers; course goals range from integrative discipline-based learning to career preparation to program assessment. Using course syllabi, catalog descriptions, and a questionnaire for department or program chairs, an analysis will be presented of the variety of experiences, formats, and goals for all undergraduate capstone courses at Winthrop University
