Enabling scalability, richer experiences and ABET-accreditable learning outcomes in computer science Capstone courses through inversion of control

Abstract

Capstone courses are expected to prepare students for the “real world” by putting them into a microcosm of the real world. In these courses, students are given a problem of some complexity, and are expected to exercise and develop problem-solving skills as they address the problem. Within our Computer Science and Engineering program we have, over the past eight years, successfully scaled up the Capstone courses. Doing so has required innovative thinking about the roles of the students, faculty, and project sponsors. In this paper, we discuss issues with scaling up the components that have made this program successful. These include housing the courses in an NSF IUCRC that enable the cultivation of highly-committed industry partners, the creation of strong pre-requisite courses, careful development of faculty resources through the selective hiring and mentoring of clinical faculty, a commitment of the faculty to give up close management and control, strong partnerships with other organizations within the university to provide students greater access to resources, an emphasis on cross-team knowledge sharing and learning, and the development of unique assessment and evaluation tools so as to be able to monitor, measure and fairly assess a wide-spectrum of projects.