Teaching and Learning Capstone Resources

Incorporating University Studies Goal Areas Into the Capstone Course

UNIVERSITY STUDIES PROGRAM GOALS:

  1. Inquiry and Critical Thinking
    Students will learn various modes of inquiry through interdisciplinary curricula-problem-posing, investigating, conceptualizing-in order to become active, self-motivated, and empowered learners.
  2. Communication
    Students will enhance their capacity to communicate in various ways-writing, graphics, numeracy, and other visual and oral means-to collaborate effectively with others in group work, and to be competent in appropriate communication technologies
  3. The Variety of Human Experience
    Students will enhance their appreciation for and understanding of the rich complexity of the human experience through the study of differences in ethnic and cultural perspectives, class, race, gender, sexual orientation, and ability.
  4. Ethical Issues and Social Responsibility
    Students will expand their understanding of the impact and value of individuals and their choices on society, both intellectually and socially, through group projects and collaboration in learning communities.

INCORPORATING THE GOAL AREAS:

Consider introducing the goal areas in your Capstone syllabus. You might include a paragraph discussing how you hope the course will enhance learning in each program goal area, or you might relate the course learning goals to one or more University Studies program goals. The following example is taken from the syllabus from UNST421 Media Literacy: Navigating the Making of Meaning taught by Professor of Art Susan Agre-Kippenhan:

Student Learning Objectives:

The process of comprehending and developing the workshop to teach others will be the vehicle for teaching a number of educational goals:

  • Build upon and expand our understanding of media (UNST Critical Thinking)
  • Knowledge and development of strategies for analysis of media (UNST Critical Thinking)
  • Understanding the social and cultural roles of media (UNST Social Responsibility)
  • Knowledge of the power of representation in the media (UNST Diversity)
  • Effective presentation methods for a variety of audiences (UNST Communication)
  • Using a discipline specific perspective create a personal orientation to media understanding

ONGOING REFLECTION ACTIVITIES:

The following reflection assignment is one example of how UNST program goals can be incorporated into students' ongoing reflective work (assignment adapted from Surbeck, Han & Moyer (1991): "Assessing Reflective Reponses In Journals." Educational Leadership, 48, 25-27.)

Purpose: This outline provides guidance in formulating comments for your journal entries.

1. Reaction (note: instructor might request a reaction to a specific topic or experience; for example, reaction to community service, course discussion, readings, small group activities, or a combination of these)
A. Positive feelings
B. Negative feelings
C. Report
D. Personal concern
E. Issues
(note: instructor might specify the type of reaction from list A-E or students might choose from the list depending on topic focus. Students might choose one or several types of reactions)

2. Elaboration (on any of the preceding topics)
A. Concrete elaboration (further details concerning original reaction)
B. Comparative elaboration (compare/contrast reaction to earlier to preceding or subsequent reactions, events, issues)
C. Generalized elaboration (tentative conclusions, discussion of implications for self/community partner/larger social issues, connections between reactions and course readings, etc.)

3. Contemplation (note: instructor may specify focus; for example, a different focus from week to week OR students may be free to choose focus from A-F)

A. Personal focus
B. Professional focus
C. UNST: Communication Focus
D. UNST: Critical Thinking Focus
E. UNST: Social and Ethical Focus
F. UNST: Diversity Focus

DISCUSSION, PRESENTATIONS, SUMMARY PAPERS

UNST goal areas can be incorporated into ongoing class activities at any point throughout Capstone; however, the following three activities are examples of structured opportunities for students to demonstrate learning during discussion, presentation, and summative writing. Ideally, discussion, presentation and summative activities work to augment and strengthen ongoing reflective assignments such as the example outlined above.

Activity ONE: Connections Discussions & Final Paper
(Janelle Voegele)

At strategic points during the Capstone, time is reserved for four "Connections" discussions. These discussion serve as preparation for a final paper completed by each student to demonstrate learning in the UNST goal areas (see activity TWO, below). Each "connections" discussion focuses upon one program goal area. For each discussion, students volunteer (different students each time) to develop discussion questions designed to explore the connections between: their service experiences, course content, course activities AND the goal area to be discussed. The questions developed by students count toward "participation" or "learning community" portion of the final grade for the course. I have found it helpful to give students a brief presentation on "how to develop effective discussion questions." For more information on effective question development, see (LINK TBA).

Activity TWO: UNST Program Goal Areas
Final Summative Paper
Janelle Voegele

The source for this assignment is an assessment created by Carol Morgaine, Capstone faculty and Chair of Child and Family Studies.

Please write a 4-5 page analysis summarizing the ways you have gained experience with one of the University Studies goal areas: communication, critical thinking, variety of human experience, or social/ethical responsibility. Please focus on one goal using all of the following:

  • Examples from your personal and/or team experiences with your community partners;
  • Examples from class discussions;
  • Examples from course readings
  • Examples from completing your course volunteer work and/or project.

Note to faculty about grading criteria:
Grading criteria for this assignment is similar to that used for students' previous writing reflection assignments. To view an example of this criteria, see Reflection at (LINK TBA)

Oral Presentations

A final oral presentation can be another vehicle for demonstration of students' learning in the four goal areas. This might be a stand-alone oral presentation given to course professor or to other students (small groups present separately) OR students might combine this presentation with a presentation on final product materials given community partners, if appropriate.

Activity THREE: Final Presentation
Janelle Voegele

Directions: Midway through the Capstone course, students and instructor and develop 3-5 questions per University Studies goal area that students will use to formulate their presentation on how the project enhanced their learning in communication, critical thinking, social responsibility, and appreciation of diversity. At the end of the Capstone, time is reserved for an oral presentation.

Usually, these student-developed questions are the direct result of their experiences so far in the community, and thus yield tremendous insights when considered thoughtfully for the remainder of the Capstone. Students might also consider these questions as part of their reflection assignments for the remainder of the Capstone, thereby providing a chance for ongoing feedback from instructor.

EXAMPLE : The following questions were developed mid-quarter by students in UNST 421: Intergenerational Communication in preparation for a final (end of term) presentation to instructor and peers. The final product was a report for community partners developed after extensive interviewing and consulting work.

FINAL PRESENTATION on UNST PROGRAM GOALS
Please use following questions (developed by the class mid-quarter) to organize and frame your final presentation.

(1) COMMUNICATION:

How did we generate insights that would relate to the community partners' experience and perspective? What specific communication skills did we use to achieve this? What did we learn about ourselves as group members?

(2) DIVERSITY AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE:

How did we respond to the challenges presented by differing persectives (between group and community partner and within group). How did we come to understand those differing perspectives and how do these understandings reflect in our final product?

(3) CRITICAL THINKING

How did we evaluate the shared and conflicting experiences (experiences of intergeneration contact, assumptions about intergenerational communication, assumptions about the Senior Center/Grade School) that we encountered in our service? How did we deal productively with our own biases and assumptions so that the final product would be of better quality? Specifically upon what did we based our analysis of our experiences, observations and interview data?

(4) ETHICAL ISSUES/SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

What ethical concerns emerged about the future of intergenerational programming at this location? How did we balance these concerns with the community partner's request for honest, usable insights?