Capstone: Part 2

Sean Cornell, Shippensburg University, srcornell@ship.edu

This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process. (view details)

This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process. This rigorous, structured process includes:

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real in-class testing of materials in at least 3 institutions with external review of student assessment data.
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Initial Publication Date: December 7, 2016 | Reviewed: September 23, 2014 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

Part 2 of the capstone (Stage 2) requires students to demonstrate progress toward completion of the Coastal Vulnerability Audit using the CVAT. See Figure 1 and 2 below. Students at this point in the semester (after completion of Modules 1 to 6) should be able to complete the physical system assessment components of their audit. Students will need to submit their CVAT for review by the instructor to ensure that they are on topic and are working effectively to apply key concepts to their selected coastal location.

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Learning Goals

As outlined in the capstone overview (Stage 1), Capstone Part 2 (Stage 2) provides a benchmark to support student learning. This benchmark is included to help determine if students have started their capstone research (not waiting until term end) and are already applying concepts learned from the course modules to their own selected site. Instructors will need to assess if the student is making progress for successful completion of the capstone at the end of the term.

At this juncture, students should be able to document the geographic and geologic setting of their selected region and explain how their selected site is impacted by the various physical systems (plate tectonic setting, geomorphology, local and regional hazards, other coastal processes including sea-level change, and elements of vulnerability, and exposure) that are most active in that location. At the very least, students should be able to show evidence of familiarity with the geography and geologic setting of their selected location so that they can lay a framework for future module content integration.

The essential question (and related sub-questions A1 to E1 as shown in Figure 2) that students should be able to answer is: "How do various Earth systems (climate, tectonics, coastal processes, etc.) interact both locally and regionally to your specified coastal setting to produce (positive and negative) feedback loops, and how do these impact human landscape elements?"

Context for Use

See Capstone Part 1 for details.

Description and Teaching Materials

See Capstone Part 1 for details. Student materials for Capstone Stage 2 are also available.

Teaching Notes and Tips

In week 6 or 7 of the course (i.e. after Module 6 is completed), the instructor should collect the worksheet (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 21kB Sep7 16) with two CVAT pages (Stage 2: Physical System Assessment) from each student. It is also recommended that the instructor collect the CVAT page for Site Specific Concerns or Considerations and the page for References and Key Resources. These last two pages will likely not be complete, but should demonstrate students are making progress toward the capstone. If students do not have any references or resources, it is important to motivate those students to find assistance at this point or they will likely not be able to complete the capstone successfully. Review of the physical system assessment pages should reveal if the students have reached the learning goal competency identified above. Students should be given Figure 2 (Capstone Stage 2: Physical System Assessment) as a benchmark document, and should be engaged in self assessment using the individual benchmarks (A1 to E1). The instructor should inform students that if they are having difficulty answering or completing any of the five sections of the CVAT, then they should revisit the module readings and assessments as necessary. Figure 2 is intended to be used as a guiding/planning document.

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Assessment

At this point, the gradable assessment element to be evaluated is the subset of CVAT pages mentioned above. Students should submit the form in a format acceptable to the instructor (upload a PDF to the CMS, or submit a hard copy to instructor, etc.). These can be evaluated on a 24-point scale (or other scale of the instructor's design). In similar fashion as the final capstone, students should be rated according to four levels of performance (exemplary, acceptable/average, below average, and unacceptable) for each of the five criteria (A1 to E1) of the physical system assessment components of the CVAT, plus a sixth criterion for evaluating the site specific concerns/considerations and references/key resources. Students unable to demonstrate achievement in content area knowledge will need to be identified, and supports (i.e. recommendations to visit tutors, use office hours, etc.) should be put into place to support their learning at this point in the course. If not, these students likely will be in danger of performing poorly on the course capstone and therefore in the course overall.