Creating a transformative learning experience through a capstone course in economics

Abstract

Being a bridge between students’ undergraduate curricula and the real world, a capstone course in economics is an effective method to promote the achievement of economic proficiencies. The main focus of the course is a substantial research paper that integrates theoretical and analytical skills, advance data collection and processing, and econometric analysis techniques. The course also hones graduating seniors’ professional writing and presentation skills. In this article, we describe how a one-semester, required capstone course in economics is developed, so it serves the purpose of being a transformative learning experience. The data come from 170 students in eight sections of the course taught over the course of six semesters. We used multiple assessment methods for data collection: questionnaires, faculty evaluations of the research project, and formal course evaluations. We make recommendations for design, teaching, and assessment of the capstone course.