UA Teaching Academy Coffee Talk

Beyond "Final Project Energy": What Capstone Courses Can Accomplish

Thursday, Oct. 22
9:30-10:30 a.m.
1311 University Hall

Capstone courses often carry big expectations: they are supposed to help students synthesize what they have learned, demonstrate program outcomes, reflect on growth and prepare for what comes next. But too often, capstones can feel like one more final project rather than a meaningful culminating experience. In this Coffee Talk, we will chat about the larger purpose and possibilities of capstone courses. Together, we will explore how capstones can support integrative learning, reflection, applied projects, undergraduate research, program-level assessment, and career readiness. We will talk about how programs can clarify what they want capstones to accomplish and how culminating experiences can help students make stronger connections between their learning, their development and their future pathways. Participants do not need to be teaching or redesigning a capstone course to benefit from the session.

Session leader: Dr. Anneliese Bolland