Tayler Delannoy, Jessica Barabas, Jessica Booke, Pat Kostouros
There has been extensive research that demonstrates the important role that capstone courses play as a bridge or rite of passage by allowing students to transition from their university experiences to professional practice (Collier, 2000; Daspit & D’Souza, 2012; Dunlap, 2005; Durel, 1993; Todd & Magleby, 2005). These experiences increase student understanding of their chosen field and better prepare them for career options. In addition, capstone courses assist with opportunities to network with professionals already in the field. Capstone courses might include practicum, research, and community projects which assist students in gaining useful skills and knowledge.
All the professional degree programs in the Faculty of Health, Community, and Education (FHCE) at Mount Royal University have a capstone course. Students in these programs take part in a variety of capstone opportunities from practicum and fieldwork to research and community projects. These opportunities act to expose students to their chosen field and provide the necessary learning with regards to putting skills to practice. The capstone course serves as the culminating and integrative educational experience and has been designated as one of the top ten high impact educational practices (Kuh, 2008). While these experiences offer students vital opportunities, in degree programs, it is important to build from this foundation. The purpose of this research study was to foster inspired learning, and community engagement through the development of a common vision, mission, and set of principles for our FHCE capstone courses. This presentation will highlight the qualitative research design (Cohen, Kahn, & Steeves) and common themes discovered, and conclude with suggestions of how to foster collaborative teaching and learning across a variety of disciplines.
