Capstone Subject Research Articles

Nursing action towards the sustainable development goals: Barriers and opportunities

BackgroundClimate change, poverty, hunger and complex diseases are just some of the many wicked problems impacting human health. The Sustainable Development Goals aim to alleviate these and many other global issues. Although the nursing profession is paramount to successfully achieving the goals, nurses require increased education to maximise their contributions. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the impact of education on graduate nurses' action towards the Sustainable Development Goals. DesignThis study applied a qualitative case study methodology. SettingThe study took place within an Australian Higher Education institution. Graduate nurses working in clinical settings were invited to reflect on the Sustainable Development Goals. ParticipantsParticipants included thirteen graduate nurses (n = 13) working in a variety of clinical settings that had completed the final year capstone subject. MethodsIndividual semi-structured interviews were undertaken with graduate nurses who undertook education on the Sustainable Development Goals in an undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing capstone subject. The interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. FindingsData was analysed through two lens focusing on the barriers and opportunities for action towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Three core barriers were identified as ‘Drowning’; ‘Powerless’; and ‘Invisible’. Three key opportunities were designated as ‘War on Waste’; ‘Front and Centre’; and ‘Revolutionary Leadership’. ConclusionsEducating undergraduate nurses on the Sustainable Development Goals had limited impact on specific graduate nurses' action towards the goals due to significant barriers within the healthcare system. However, graduate nurses recognised the importance of contributing to the goals and identified opportunities for future action. Education providers and the healthcare industry should work in partnership to create a more sustainable future for healthcare.

A HAZOP Teaching Module and Verification Strategy for the Chemical Engineering Capstone Subject

A teaching module for HAZOPs is presented here that was included in the capstone subject. The module included a lecture, class exercise and an advisors’ led workshop. Some students undertake HAZOPs individually, representing academic misconduct. A verification strategy, based on Zipf’s law, is presented that analyses word frequency and key words presented in the HAZOP reporting tables, to determine if students had undertaken group work. The presented examples demonstrate the effectiveness of this verification strategy.

Redevelopment of undergraduate food microbiology capstone projects for unprecedented emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: then and now

Unprecedented emergency remote teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 lockdowns has hindered research-based learning in the life sciences worldwide, holding potential consequences for the students’ ability to develop essential skills for the contemporary workforce. In this article, we report redevelopment of an undergraduate capstone subject in the food science major at The University of Melbourne for bichronous ERT delivery, which previously aimed to provide students with analytical, problem-solving and communication skills through laboratory-based practical experimentation or internship projects. When in-person exchanges became unfeasible during 2020, we redesigned the online learning environment to best facilitate personalised learning and collaborative relationships between learners, instructors and subject content. This includes the redevelopment of laboratory-based projects as data mining or literature reviews delivered under four major themes including food microbiology. Despite the drawbacks in peer-based interactions through remote delivery, participation in design-based research remains a viable approach to support students in gaining essential transferrable skills during ERT.

Embedding sustainable development goals (SDGs) in an undergraduate business capstone subject using an experiential learning approach: A qualitative analysis

Universities have an important role in ensuring that business school graduates can address issues regarding sustainable development and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. While business schools have been progressively growing understanding of the SDGs, many have an unclear conception of their importance to business or how to effectively embed them into their curriculum. This paper explores the outcomes of one university in applying the SDGs as a learning framework for understanding global sustainability. Qualitative methodology was used to explore student perceptions regarding the efficacy of industry collaboration and Experiential Education Project-based Learning (EEPBL) methods, to integrate learning of SDGs into a university course. Through thematic analysis of 375 reflective essays and 18 semi-structured interviews, students reported an enhanced awareness and knowledge of SDGs, acquisition of key employability skills and development of new global perspectives. They found value in industry collaboration and EEPBL for acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the SDGs in a business context, and many developed an appreciation of their own agency for sustainability action in the future. This research can be presented as an example of one approach to both teaching students about the SDGs and embedding sustainability into their business curriculum.

Effective mentoring in a work-integrated learning (WIL) program

ABSTRACT Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programs play an important role in the learning experience of students in higher education and are widely used in many institutions. Within a large public research-intensive university in Australia, WIL approaches are used in many faculties, although this paper is focused on WIL within the tourism discipline. One of the capstone subjects in the undergraduate and postgraduate tourism programs utilise a WIL framework, whereby mentors assist groups of students to conduct projects for industry clients during a 13-week semester. This study aims to explore effective mentoring processes within the WIL program environment by interviewing mentors to identify their guidance and coaching experience, skills and capabilities and their self-development in this mentoring process. This study’s outcome can assist to better understand the role of mentor in WIL for the design of future WIL programs.

A note on balanced incomplete block designs and projective geometry

This note outlines some connections between projective geometry and some designs used in clinical trials in the health sciences. The connections are not immediately obvious but they widen the scope for enrichment work at both the senior high school level and for capstone subjects at the undergraduate level.

Work-integrated Learning and Skill Development in a Master of Public Health Program: Graduate Perspectives

It is increasingly understood that work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities are critical in providing graduating students with employability skills which allow them to gain employment and effectively operate in work environments. This is particularly relevant within degrees such as public health that cut across very diverse fields of practice. Little research has previously investigated student perceptions post-graduation of skill development within public health degrees. This investigation aimed to identify the range of skills gained within a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree which graduates felt assisted them to obtain employment, and to determine the teaching and learning approaches that contributed to the development of these skills. Graduates responding to a questionnaire self-reported that they had good levels of both technical and employability skills especially in the domains: Informed Decision Making, Professional Practice and Standards, Lifelong Learning and Collaboration. Students agreed that there were frequent opportunities for applied learning and enablers to employment within their degree. However, graduates indicated that the employability domain: Commencement Readiness and confidence at point of graduation, could be strengthened. The implications of this research for the development of non-placement WIL experiences, capstone subjects, the overall curriculum and broader university student experience are discussed.

The impact of diversity, prior academic achievement and goal orientation on learning performance in group capstone projects

ABSTRACT Capstone projects are common in undergraduate programmes, providing students with a culminating educational experience designed to draw on the knowledge and skills accumulated over the course of their studies. While there are many benefits to capstone projects, they are not without challenges. In particular, when these projects are conducted in groups, forming groups to optimise the learning outcomes and managing group dynamics can be challenging. In this article, we report on the analysis of data collected from 346 undergraduate business students who completed capstone projects at a Hong Kong university. Measures included students’ learning goal (mastery and performance), satisfaction with their supervisor and group diversity in relation to gender, prior academic achievement, self-report nationality and programme of study. Analysis of this data in conjunction with student grades for the project was conducted to inform improvements in design and delivery of the capstone subject to improve students’ learning outcomes. The results showed that for groups consisting of three students, group diversity in respect to prior academic achievement as measured by grade point average (GPA) is positively related to the grade achieved in the capstone project. However, diversity in respect to the nationalities in the group was related to poorer performance. Furthermore, the more teacher-focused the group supervisor’s approach was, the worse the grade achieved for the project. The results suggest that groups made up of students of different nationalities tend to have lower grades compared to homogeneous groups. In contrast, having a group with a mix of GPAs can result in higher grades on the project. While these findings have informed our understanding of group performance on capstone projects, work is needed to fully understand what underlies the diversity effects identified which will be explored with future cohorts.

Industry-based, transdisciplinary, complex problems as realistic settings for applying the M in STEM

In this paper, we consider the perceived effectiveness of using industry-based transdisciplinary, complex problems as a vehicle for final year undergraduate mathematics students to apply their knowledge and skills in realistic settings, preparing them for the world of work. The discussion centres on a recently designed, implemented and evaluated model for a capstone subject incorporating a work integrated learning project in a Bachelor of Mathematics degree. To provide background for the discussion, we present the motivation for introducing such learning activities into the programme as well as the design of the model itself. We also report on the outcomes of implementation of the Work Integrated Learning experiences, discussing participant perspectives and describing lessons learnt over the two years. We conclude with a set of identified characteristics of capstone experiences in mathematics, and with a call to re-conceptualize the ways design teams collaborate to support academics.

Blending Formative and Summative Assessment in a Capstone Subject: "It's Not Your Tools, It's How You Use Them".

Blending Formative and Summative Assessment in a Capstone Subject: "It's Not Your Tools, It's How You Use Them".

Blending Formative and Summative Assessment in a Capstone Subject: ‘It’s not your tools, it’s how you use them’

Discussions about the relationships between formative and summative assessment have come full circle after decades of debate. For some time formative assessment with its emphasis on feedback to students was promoted as better practice than traditional summative assessment. Summative assessment practices were broadly criticised as distanced from the learning process. More recently discussions have refocused on the potential complementary characteristics of formative and summative purposes of assessment. However studies on practical designs to link formative and summative assessment in constructive ways are rare. In paramedic education, like many other professional disciplines, strong traditions of summative assessment - assessment ‘of’ learning - have long dominated. Communities require that a graduate has been judged fit to practice. The assessment redesign described and evaluated in this paper sought to rebalance assessment relationships in a capstone paramedic subject to integrate formative assessment for learning with summative assessment of learning. Assessment was repositioned as a communication process about learning. Through a variety of frequent assessment events, judgement of student performance is accompanied with rich feedback. Each assessment event provides information about learning, unique to each student’s needs. Each assessment event shaped subsequent assessment events. Student participants in the formal evaluation of the subject indicated high levels of perceived value and effectiveness on learning across each of the assessment events, with broad agreement also demonstrated relating to student perceptions for preparedness: ‘readiness to practice’. Our approach focused on linking assessment events, resulted in assessments providing formative communication to students and summative outcome information to others simultaneously. The formative-summative dichotomy disappeared: all assessment became part of communication about learning.

A Compulsory Dispute Resolution Capstone Subject: An Important Inclusion in a 21st Century Australian Law Curriculum

The Australian legal profession, and Australian legal education, have experienced significant change over the last three decades. There has, for example, been an exponential increase in the use of forms of dispute resolution (DR) other than litigation to resolve legal disputes, and legal education has evolved to include a stronger focus on the teaching of legal skills and values. This article contributes to the literature arguing that DR should no longer simply constitute part of the elective choices available to law students, but rather should be embedded within the LLB and JD core curricula. First, the article considers the recent scholarship on DR in Australian legal education, most of which supports the view that due to the demands of contemporary legal practice, every graduating law student should now have an opportunity to engage with DR knowledge, skills and attitudes as part of their legal education. Second, the best way to teach DR in the core curriculum is considered. We propose that a capstone DR subject has great potential to support student transition out of law school, to provide closure on their learning, and to promote engagement for deep learning outcomes in the final year.

Curriculum design for research-led teaching: Molecule to Malady

Modern medicine is increasingly characterised by a personalised approach to treatment through producing therapies that target specific biological processes. When planning the new Bachelor of Biomedicine (BBiomed) degree, one of two completely new undergraduate courses crafted as part of the ‘Melbourne Curriculum’ introduced by The University of Melbourne in 2008, the paradigm that medical interventions should be evidence-based and driven by a molecular understanding of the cause of disease was a key design parameter. Our intention in developing the curriculum for Biomedicine: Molecule to Malady (M2M), a third-year compulsory capstone subject of this new BBiomed degree, was to enhance the ability of students to apply their core cross-disciplinary knowledge to unfamiliar problems in translational medicine by having expert clinicians/researchers explain the scientific reasoning applied to the development of disease interventions in their specialist areas.

From mountaintop to corporate ladder – what new professionals really really want in a capstone experience!

Capstone subjects are increasingly used in Universities worldwide to complete the undergraduate program experience and to transition graduates into the workplace. As such, capstones fulfil a large role consolidating one experience and traversing the gap to another. Yet, little is known or understood about their design, their implementation or evaluation. In this study we investigate the final-year experience from the student's perspective. We surveyed graduates from five Business Schools in Australia to identify perceptions of their final-year experience. Findings indicate that the transition experience of the student to professional is unique. In their liminal or intermediate state between student and professional they recognise the value of process skills, in particular the development of generic business skills related to application and the importance of opportunities for experiencing the application of theory in practice. The findings add a new understanding to the current literature which has not previously acknowledged the insight of the transitioning professional.

Preregistration student nurses' self-reported preparedness for practice before and after the introduction of a capstone subject.

To assess changes in perceptions of confidence and preparedness for practice of preregistration nursing students before and after the introduction of a capstone subject, and factors associated with perceptions of preparedness. Preregistration nursing student 'readiness' or 'preparedness' for practice has been highlighted in the literature in recent years, along with employer concerns that university graduate nurses are not work ready. Few studies have examined Australian preregistration nursing students' perceptions of preparedness for clinical practice following their final clinical placement or assessed whether preregistration student nurses' perceptions of preparedness change as the result of undertaking a capstone subject. A capstone subject was introduced at a regional northern Australian university in 2013. Perceptions of preparedness were assessed in two different cohorts of final year nursing students; one of which undertook a capstone subject. Two separate cohorts of third year nursing students were surveyed regarding their perceptions of preparedness for practice at the conclusion of their final 240hour clinical placement. The 2012 cohort did not experience a capstone subject, whereas the 2013 cohort were the first nursing students to experience the new capstone subject. Both cohorts were uncomfortable performing invasive procedures and reported low levels of confidence in the area of professional identity. An overall trend of decreasing confidence as patient assignment size increased was observed for both cohorts, and higher confidence was associated with previous health care experience. Perceptions of preparedness for practice did not increase significantly following the introduction of a capstone subject. Although Australian undergraduate nursing student report feeling prepared for practice there are areas of knowledge, skills and patient care in which confidence is low. The results of this study highlight the importance of experience in building confidence and competence. This study highlights that while final year nursing students report feeling prepared for practice there are areas where additional support can be provided. It is recommended that nurse educators and health care facilities tailor their programs to provide support focused on the areas highlighted by this study.

Re-viewing student teamwork: preparation for the ‘real world’ or bundles of situated social practices?

Research in Australian business education continues to emphasise the importance of students learning teamwork as an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum. However, entrenched conceptual and practical confusion as to what the term ‘teamwork’ means and how it ought to be enacted remains a vexed issue capable of distorting and diminishing teamwork, learning and related pedagogy. In this paper, we critically re-examine the view that developing teamwork in an undergraduate business degree equips students for work in the real world. By focusing on the ‘real world’ metaphor-in-use in a cross-disciplinary business capstone subject, we interrogate the spatio-temporal dimensions of teamwork and its realist conceptions and performance. The research draws upon the perceptions of interviewed academics conducting teamwork activities in undergraduate business courses and the lived experiences of the authors. The findings highlight how the use of multiple models of teamwork, constructed by competing discourses and linked to the dualities and invocations constructed by ‘the real world’ metaphor, further exacerbate confusion. We suggest re-viewing and re-valuing student teamwork as the performance of situated, social practices opening new spaces for student teamwork, learning and pedagogical practice.

Capping them off! Exploring and explaining the patterns in undergraduate capstone subjects in Australian business schools

Universities are increasingly offering capstone subjects as part of curricula to prepare final-year undergraduates for employment through consolidating and integrating their knowledge and skills while bridging the gap between academic learning and professional work. This study investigates capstone subjects offered by Australian business schools, drawing on national survey data collected in 2010 and 2011, complemented by interviews with associate deans teaching and learning instrumental in curricula design. Findings indicate the sector-wide use of capstone subjects in business disciplines, diversity in the patterns of offerings, and instances where subjects labelled as capstones do not meet the definition of capstones. We argue that these features are explained by a range of historic and strategic factors, such as the ad hoc development of subjects and a lack of understanding of the features of capstones. The findings of this paper inform the debate on the design, development, value and the use of capstone subjects identifying the implications for staff development and knowledge management in higher education.

Building Bridges: Constructing Social Enterprise Curriculum in the Humanities

Creating an innovative suite of courses within the Bachelor of Arts has required the development of a complex pedagogy, particularly when the needs of the context require an interdisciplinary approach. This paper, which utilises reflection on practice as its methodology, explores the Social Enterprise core stream which has been a significant element of study since 2008. While the paper deals with some of the particular circumstances of introducing practice learning to traditional theoretical disciplines, it is most concerned with the pedagogical strength of combining inquiry based learning with problem based learning, to lead to work integrated learning, and developing reflective practice to integrate all. Since 2008, the School of Humanities at Griffith University has incorporated a Social Enterprise signature experience into the Bachelor of Arts. Broadly, social enterprises are distinguished by their pursuit of community wealth in the marketplace to pursue their aims. They pursue a triple bottom line of social, economic and environmental prosperity. Griffith University is located in South East Queensland, Australia and is well regarded as both a research university and for its development of highly innovative programmes. Approximately 40, 000 students are enrolled over five campuses. In the Bachelor of Arts, we also use the verb form, 'socially enterprising' to invite our students to be innovative, creative and empowered, regardless of the economic sector where they find employment. Thus our work at Griffith University is underpinned by a pedagogical ethic and imperative to excite our students about their own prospects for being a part of change, based on a thorough and ongoing engagement with people and organisations in the 'real world' who are already moving and shaking. This has meant that a curriculum has had to be developed which both presents the underlying issues and the third sector approaches and interpolates these studies into a multi-disciplinary context. This signature experience consists of six semester-long units, presented sequentially, and includes a third year professional placement in the Third Sector. The final semester capstone subject enables students to both reflect upon their experience of the degree and to plan and manage a showcase event. The first year units focus upon the development of communication and critical thinking skills, and the introduction of critical issues relevant to the Third Sector such as human rights and social justice. Alongside an initial exploration of the history and practice of the Third Sector, these first year courses are designed to incite a broader awareness of the reason for choosing a life that contributes to the wider community. The second year units are concerned with the consolidation of an ethical foundation and developing skills required in the workplace in this field.

Interdisciplinary business education: curriculum through collaboration

PurposeA modern business graduate is expected to have strong disciplinary skills as well as the soft skills of communication and team work. However today's business graduate needs to be more than the traditional “I‐shaped” graduate of the past and more of the “T‐shaped” graduate employers are looking for. Many undergraduate business degrees profess to offer integration of the curriculum but on investigation this occurs mainly through a capstone subject at the end of the degree. Today's business graduates need a more integrated approach to their learning. This paper aims to outline the transformation of a traditional business curriculum to one that is inter‐disciplinary, outlining the necessary steps and conditions including the most challenging – faculty buy in.Design/methodology/approachThe review of the Bachelor of Business degree at University of Technology Sydney (UTS) provided an opportunity to explore the option to embrace an integrated curriculum. The authors outline how the review was shaped, the need for change and the approaches to interdisciplinary business education, and an approach to designing an interdisciplinary curriculum. They also provide two case studies.FindingsApproaches to developing an integrative curriculum can take many forms, but the most effective is one that is embedded throughout an entire degree program. This must start with a cornerstone subject to set the road map for the student's study. This subject needs to demonstrate how each discipline interrelates and how at the end of the degree through a capstone subject, this knowledge is again brought together to deal with more complex issues using the more sophisticated tools studied throughout the degree. There also needs to be a strategy that integrates the various first‐year disciplinary subjects traditionally included in an undergraduate business degree.Originality/valueThis paper aims to outline the transformation of a traditional business curriculum to one that is inter‐disciplinary and integrated. The outcome of such an approach produces graduates with the inter‐disciplinary skills that employers are looking for.

Reflective practice in a capstone business internship subject

PurposeCapstone subjects which link students approaching graduation with significant experiential learning and relevant industry placements, have the potential to be very valuable to students. This is particularly evident if they are able to critically reflect on the experience. In light of this, the School of Business at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle campus, sought to embed reflective practice and reflective writing within its Business Internship (capstone) subject. This paper aims to discuss this.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a case study approach.FindingsSignificant challenges emerged in relation to the student learning experience. Some students did not perceive the value of an internship, or of engaging in a professionally reflective process. Business students' differing academic literacy standards became apparent, as did the diverse experiences of international students. It became evident that students required explicit teaching and more thorough training to understand the value of reflection and to write reflectively where required. Subsequently, reflective writing workshops were trialled and embedded in the subject. Reflective practice enabled students to move to a deeper level of understanding, rather than submitting a superficial retelling of their internship experience.Originality/valueThe value of reflective writing is widely recognised in many disciplines, although its application in Business capstone subjects is relatively new. This merits further scholarship, particularly as capstone subjects are increasingly being used to demonstrate assurance of learning for accrediting agencies in Australia.