Facilitator: Mick Healey (HE Consultant and Researcher and Emeritus Professor at the University of Gloucestershire)
Location: Marylebone Campus Room L195 (This workshop will run from 10.30 to 14.00 including lunch)
Capstone projects and dissertations are a topic of interest in many countries. For many students, it provides a transformative experience, yet for others the experience is less inspiring and sometimes quite negative. The traditional project has come under pressure for reform as student participation in higher education has increased, there has been a growth in professional disciplines, and staff-student ratios have deteriorated. This interactive presentation will explore ways in which we can rethink capstone projects and dissertations, while at the same time retaining a significant element of research and inquiry and deliver key graduate attributes. Our argument is that a more flexible approach is needed in the form, function and assessment of capstone projects and dissertations to meet the needs of all students. These may include group, work-oriented and community-based projects. There can also be novel ways of disseminating the findings – via exhibitions, research conferences and other forms of public engagement. These changes have implications for supervising and assessing the projects. The argument will be illustrated with examples of undergraduate and taught postgraduate capstone projects and dissertations from a wide range of disciplines and countries.
For those who are engaged in working towards Advance HE fellowship, the content of this workshop aligns with and supports the following dimensions of the Professional Standards Framework:
Areas of Activity (A) which demonstrate that you:
· A1: design and plan learning activities and/or programmes of study
· A2: teach and/or support learning through appropriate approaches and environments
· A3: assess and give feedback for learning
· A4: support and guide learners
· A5: enhance practice through own continuing professional development
Core Knowledge (K) which is needed to carry out the areas of activity:
· K1: how students learn, generally and within specific subjects
· K2: approaches to teaching and/or supporting learning, appropriate for subjects and level of study
· K3: critical evaluation as a basis for effective practice
Professional Values (V) which show how you:
· V1: respect individual learners and diverse groups of learners
· V2: promote engagement in learning and equity of opportunity for all to reach their potential
· V4: respond to the wider context in which higher education operates, recognising implications for practice