A postgraduate capstone project: Impact on student learning and organizational change

2021 ◽  
pp. 095042222110365
Author(s):  
Gordon R. Elwell ◽  
Thad E. Dickinson ◽  
Michael D. Dillon
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
Common Component ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Academic Knowledge ◽  
Capstone Courses ◽  
Capstone Project ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Capstone Projects

The capstone course serves to integrate accumulated knowledge with a culminating experience or project and is a common component in undergraduate and graduate programs. The research on capstones courses shows that many capstone experiences or projects involve students working with outside clients, such as local businesses and organizations, to solve problems or develop new projects or campaigns. Such capstone experiences or projects seek to offer students real-world, career-building experience, while the clients seek to benefit from the learned academic knowledge of the students. Where the literature is scarce on client-based capstone projects is when the client is the student’s employer or career-related organization. A graduate program in administration at a public Midwestern university in the USA offers a different approach to the student–client model by requiring a degree-culminating capstone project that challenges adult students to apply their learned knowledge to solve administrative problems not for an outside client but at their place of employment or career-related organization. The researchers surveyed 66 alumni and interviewed 6 on how the capstone project had benefited their work-related learning and its impact on their employer or career-related organization. Students perceived an improvement in their ability to define and analyze administrative problems in their workplace, while the employers or organizations which implemented the project recommendations experienced positive organizational change. This case study contributes to the literature on capstone courses by examining the relevance of a work- or career-related capstone project to students and their workplace.

scholarly journals Effective Assessment of Computer Science Capstone Projects and Student Outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Fatima Abu Salem ◽  
Issam Damaj ◽  
Lama Hamandi ◽  
Rached Zantout
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Analysis And Evaluation ◽  
Capstone Courses ◽  
Capstone Project ◽  
Capstone Projects ◽  
Effective Assessment

A capstone project is a culminating experience that entails creativity, critical thinking, and advanced problem-solving skills. To that end, capstone projects enable students to prove their abilities, demonstrate their attained skills, and carry out a significant project in their field. In Computer Science Bachelor programs, there is a strong mapping between learning outcomes of capstone projects and all student learning outcomes. This paper presents an assessment framework for capstone courses that allows for sound evaluations of the performance of students and project qualities; besides assessing the student outcomes of the program. The developed framework comprises criteria, indicators, extensive analytic rubrics, and a summative statistical formulation. The presented course and framework are supported by the results, analysis, and evaluation of a pilot study for a single institution to explore the effectiveness of the proposed tool.

Business Study Abroad Tours for Non-Traditional Students: An Outcomes Assessment

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spero C. Peppas
Keyword(s):  
Study Abroad ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Business School ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Study Tour ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Non Traditional Students ◽  
Working Adult ◽  
Business Study

The purpose of this research was to assess empirically the perceived benefits of a business study tour course in terms of business educational outcomes, cultural awareness and sensitivity, and work-related gains. This study fills a gap in the business-school-related literature by focusing on outcomes of study abroad tours for non-traditional, working adult students.

Openness to context‐based research: the gulf between the claims and actions of Big Six firms in the USA

2000 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Gendron
Keyword(s):  
Social Construction ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Joint Decision ◽  
Academic Knowledge ◽  
Multilateral Negotiations ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Client Acceptance ◽  
Big Six ◽  
Client Acceptance Decision

This paper has been written following the refusal of US Big Six firms to participate in a context‐based research project on the new‐client‐acceptance decision, in spite of their claims that current audit research is too far removed from the realities of practice. The paper aims to problematise the firms’ refusal, arguing that it exemplifies efforts at policing the development of academic knowledge on the part of gatekeepers who strive to make researchers work on technicalities, thereby mitigating the risk that research may tarnish the profession’s legitimacy. Insights into the social construction of the gatekeepers’ efforts at policing knowledge are provided by the multilateral negotiations with the firms, showing initial differences in gatekeepers’ boundaries of acceptable research, and subsequent between‐firm discussions that resulted in the firms’ joint decision to refuse participation.

Research landscape of smart education: a bibliometric analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kam Cheong Li ◽  
Billy Tak-Ming Wong
Keyword(s):  
Education Research ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Research Collaborations ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Smart Education ◽  
Smart Technologies

Purpose This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the present state and trends of smart education research. It addresses the need to have a systematic review of smart education to depict its research landscape in view of the growing volume of related publications. Design/methodology/approach A bibliometric analysis of publications on smart education published in 2011 to 2020 was conducted, covering their patterns and trends in terms of collaboration, key publications, major topics and trends. A total of 1,317 publications with 29,317 cited references were collected from the Web of Science and Scopus for the bibliometric analysis. Findings Research on smart education has been widely published in various sources. The most frequently cited references are all theoretical or discussion articles. Researchers in the USA, China, South Korea, India and Russia have been most active in research collaborations. However, international collaborations have remained infrequent except for those involving the USA. The research on smart education broadly covered smart technologies as well as teaching and learning. The emerging topics have addressed areas such as the Internet of Things, big data, flipped learning and gamification. Originality/value This study depicts the intellectual landscape of smart education research, and illustrated the evolution and emerging trends in the field. The results highlight its latest developments and research needs, and suggest future work related to research collaborations on a larger scale and more studies on smart pedagogies.

Hospitalised heat-related acute kidney injury in indoor and outdoor workers in the USA

2021 ◽  
pp. oemed-2021-107933
Author(s):  
Dallas S Shi ◽  
Virginia M Weaver ◽  
Michael J Hodgson ◽  
Aaron W Tustin
Keyword(s):  
Acute Kidney Injury ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Prevention Programmes ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

ObjectivesTo characterise heat-related acute kidney injury (HR-AKI) among US workers in a range of industries.MethodsTwo data sources were analysed: archived case files of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Office of Occupational Medicine and Nursing from 2010 through 2020; and a Severe Injury Reports (SIR) database of work-related hospitalisations that employers reported to federal OSHA from 2015 to 2020. Confirmed, probable and possible cases of HR-AKI were ascertained by serum creatinine measurements and narrative incident descriptions. Industry-specific incidence rates of HR-AKI were computed. A capture–recapture analysis assessed under-reporting in SIR.ResultsThere were 608 HR-AKI cases, including 22 confirmed cases and 586 probable or possible cases. HR-AKI occurred in indoor and outdoor industries including manufacturing, construction, mail and package delivery, and solid waste collection. Among confirmed cases, 95.2% were male, 50.0% had hypertension and 40.9% were newly hired workers. Incidence rates of AKI hospitalisations from 1.0 to 2.5 hours per 100 000 workers per year were observed in high-risk industries. Analysis of overlap between the data sources found that employers reported only 70.6% of eligible HR-AKI hospitalisations to OSHA, and only 41.2% of reports contained a consistent diagnosis.ConclusionsWorkers were hospitalised with HR-AKI in diverse industries, including indoor facilities. Because of under-reporting and underascertainment, national surveillance databases underestimate the true burden of occupational HR-AKI. Clinicians should consider kidney risk from recurrent heat stress. Employers should provide interventions, such as comprehensive heat stress prevention programmes, that include acclimatisation protocols for new workers, to prevent HR-AKI.

scholarly journals Kløkt og fordom: Om holdningsendring i klasserommet

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Solveig Moldrheim
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Skin Color ◽  
Human Environment ◽  
Require Time ◽  
Academic Knowledge ◽  
Social Settings ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Class Room ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Time And Energy

Most teachers have experienced various forms of prejudice expressed in the classroom. When one hears attitudes or opinions that go against school and society’s values, it is not always easy to know how to respond appropriately and wisely.Educators have a social responsibility both towards the individual and the community. Individuals are the learning subjects, but the context for learning is group-based. Teachers’ social responsibility entails both individuals that have expressed prejudice against a particular group, and those who identify themselves with this particular group. In addition, educators have responsibility for the group based learning arena, which all the individuals belong to. Beyond this, schools are expected to contribute to a democratic society. Preventing prejudice expressed in the class room will not only ensure a safer environment for the pupils, it will also contribute to society as a whole by promoting democratic values. In other words, there are several reasons why schools should work to prevent prejudice.Many have antipathies or prejudices against groups of people. However, but some groups are more often faced with prejudice than others. A prerequisite for the development of prejudice is the formation of categories. People are able to suppress their prejudices. Prejudice is not created in a vacuum; they are social stances that must be understood in the context of the specific human environment. Studies show that if a person has prejudices against Jews, for example, the person tends to be more disposed to have prejudices against other groups as well, such as for example gays, , Muslims and immigrants. This disposition is called "group focused enmity."When a child is between eight and twelve years, the child starts to check and correct its perception of the world. Before it reaches this stage, the child’s comments about out-groups mainly stems from other people’s instructions. Studies from the USA have shown that negativity towards people with a different skin color decreases from around the age of 10 compared to when the child was younger.An individual's attitudes are formed on the basis of that person's overall experience. Although formed individually, experience often take place in social interaction with other individuals. In social settings, people find their significant other, that is, an individual or individuals they may mirror and adjust to. Such individuals may include parents, siblings, friends and teachers. The school is therefore a very important arena for promoting positive attitudes.Albert Einstein allegedly claimed that "It is harder to crack a prejudice than an atom." But even if we take hold of prejudices and actively seek to fight them, it will require time and energy. The process of changing a person’s attitude is significantly longer than the process of developing a person’s academic knowledge and skill.It is often said that "prejudice must be fought with knowledge." Prejudice consists of both beliefs and attitudes. It is important that educators have access to constructive meeting arenas, read books, play games and watch movies that can make room for empathy. It is essential to find learning resources, initiatives and approaches that promote values such as empathy and community, and then creating positive experiences for the pupils.

scholarly journals The Naval Postgraduate School’s Department of Systems Engineering Approach to Mission Engineering Education through Capstone Projects

Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas L. Van Bossuyt ◽  
Paul Beery ◽  
Bryan M. O’Halloran ◽  
Alejandro Hernandez ◽  
Eugene Paulo
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
System Modeling ◽  
System Level ◽  
Naval Postgraduate School ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Educational Approach ◽  
Capstone Courses ◽  
Engineering Department ◽  
Capstone Projects

This article presents an educational approach to applied capstone research projects using a mission engineering focus. It reviews recent advances in mission engineering within the Department of Defense and integrates that work into an approach for research within the Systems Engineering Department at the Naval Postgraduate School. A generalized sequence of System Definition, System Modeling, and System Analysis is presented as an executable sequence of activities to support analysis of operational missions within a student research project at Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). That approach is detailed and demonstrated through analysis of the integration of a long-range strike capability on a MH-60S helicopter. The article serves as a demonstration of an approach for producing operationally applicable results from student projects in the context of mission engineering. Specifically, it demonstrates that students can execute a systems engineering project that conducts system-level design with direct consideration of mission impacts at the system of systems level. Discussion of the benefits and limitations of this approach are discussed and suggestions for integrating mission engineering into capstone courses are provided.

Perceived Organizational Change and its Connection to the Work-Related Empowerment

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-9
Author(s):  
Tarja Suominen ◽  
Eeva Härkönen ◽  
Sirkku Rankinen ◽  
Liisa Kuokkanen ◽  
Marja-Leena Kukkurainen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Work Related

Women bus drivers and organizational change

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Sanchez de Miguel ◽  
Izarne Lizaso ◽  
Maider Larranaga ◽  
Juan Jose Arrospide
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Northern Spain ◽  
Bus Drivers ◽  
Traditional Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Bus Driver ◽  
Urban Bus

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the gender practices of a female urban bus driver who retired after 40 years (1967-2007) in an urban bus company in northern Spain. The main objective of this study was to explore and understand the move from irreflexive to reflexive practices from a gender perspective, and to uncover new key aspects relating to the influence of women in organizational changes. Design/methodology/approach – This qualitative exploratory study (interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA)) contains semi-structured interviews which explore, using a process of analytic induction, the personal- and work-related experiences of a woman who was a pioneer in the traditionally male-dominated field of urban bus services. In order to obtain a broader overview of the organization, and using the same method, four other female bus drivers from the same company were also interviewed, along with the personnel manager. Findings – Three different situations are presented. The first summarizes the woman’s personal motivations and hesitations during the 1960s regarding her decision to become a bus driver, occurring during her adolescence and pre-professional phase; the second illustrates the organizational and social reactions triggered by the (visible) presence of a lone woman in a traditionally male professional environment (resistance); and finally, the third situation shows the empowerment and organizational change which occurred, focussing on the possible deconstruction of the masculine hegemony at the heart of the organization. Originality/value – The IPA points to a new level of visibility of this transgressed traditional role, which combined both individual and collective actions. Her experiences recount how she overcame individual, organizational and social barriers. The authors suggest a new interpretation of this visibility, enabling us to imagine gender practice as an intersection of people, organizational change and society.

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