Author Archives: Evelina Rosser

HOW ARE CAPSTONE PROJECTS EVALUATED AT BCIT

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Capstone projects at BCIT are designed to allow students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have gained throughout their diploma or degree program. They involve undertaking a substantive project related to the student’s field of study, where the student works independently while receiving guidance from an instructor or industry mentor. Due to the significant role capstone projects play in assessing student learning outcomes, BCIT has developed a rigorous process for evaluating these projects.

The evaluation of capstone projects at BCIT is centered around clear evaluation criteria that are shared with students early in the capstone experience. These criteria cover all aspects of the capstone from formulation of objectives, design of the project plan, implementation, outcomes, and presentation of results. For example, criteria related to the project plan may include elements such as a well-defined statement of work, timelines, budget, logical approach to tasks, and identification of risks and limitations. Criteria for implementation cover project management competencies like task tracking, issue resolution, use of tools/methodologies, safety practices, and adaptability to changes. Evaluation of outcomes focuses on technical merits such as fulfillment of objectives, quality/reliability of results, documentation of findings, and achievement of deliverables. Presentation criteria assess communication skills through organization, clarity, use of media, poise during questions, and ability to convey the significance of the work.

The capstone evaluation criteria are intended to reflect expectations that graduates should demonstrate based on the program and course learning outcomes. Instructors work with advisory boards and accreditation bodies to ensure criteria align with needs of the profession/industry. Students get guidance on applying the criteria to their projects through instruction and formative feedback over the capstone term. This support helps surface any gaps in skills early so remedial action can be taken before the final evaluation.

Typically, two evaluators are assigned to each capstone – the primary instructor overseeing the project, and a subject matter expert (SME) from industry. For some programs where multiple sections run simultaneously, common SMEs may evaluate projects across sections for consistency. The evaluators independently use rubrics tied to the evaluation criteria to assess written reports, presentations, discussion with students, and any documentation of project outcomes.

Scoring on the rubrics is most often on a scale from 1 to 5, with detailed descriptors defining expectations at each level. Evaluators must provide qualitative comments along with scores to explain ratings and provide specific feedback. Once independent evaluations are complete, the evaluators convene to moderate scores, compare perspectives, and agree on a final rating for each criterion and overall for the capstone. In cases of divergent scores, discussion focuses on evidence from the work to justify differences and reach consensus.

The final evaluated rubrics then feed into a letter grade determination. Each program or department sets grading scales customized to their rubrics and criteria. For example, an overall score average above 90% could merit an ‘A’ while 75-80% may equal a ‘B’. Student performance is also considered holistically, such as improvements shown over the term or additional accomplishments beyond expectations. Grading recommendations go through departmental review and approval before official assignment.

Should a capstone be deemed unsatisfactory or borderline, in-depth feedback is provided on gaps and remedial work required. Students may get one more term to improve their projects or risk failing the program. If there are disputes over evaluation or grading, formal appeal processes exist where students can present their cases and have decisions reviewed by separate committees.

BCIT has implemented a structured yet flexible evaluation system for capstone projects with multiple stages of moderation to uphold academic standards and fairness to students. The process helps develop work that reflects expected professional competence and fosters continuous dialogue around learning outcomes. Student and SME feedback over the years also factor into refining evaluation approaches to maintain relevance and rigour.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF REAL WORLD ISSUES OR PROBLEMS THAT STUDENTS? CAN ADDRESS IN THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS?

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF REAL WORLD ISSUES OR PROBLEMS THAT STUDENTS? CAN ADDRESS IN THEIR CAPSTONE PROJECTS?

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Community access to resources – A lack of access to resources is a problem faced by many communities. For their capstone project, students could research the resources needed by a specific local community and develop solutions to improve access. For example, they could analyze transportation options and propose routes to improve mobility, or identify gaps in access to healthcare and develop partnerships with local clinics. This type of project directly tackles real barriers faced by real people.

Environmental sustainability

Issues surrounding environmental sustainability and promoting green practices are very relevant today. Students could research sustainability practices on their campus or in their city and propose initiatives to reduce waste, pollution, or carbon emissions. Examples may include conducting an audit of a building’s energy usage and developing recommendations for upgrading systems to be more efficient, or creating an educational campaign to promote recycling or alternative forms of transportation among the campus or local community. Addressing environmental challenges provides tangible benefits.

Supporting vulnerable populations

Many communities struggle to meet the needs of vulnerable groups such as low-income families, the elderly, people with disabilities, etc. For their capstone, students could partner with a local organization that supports one of these populations to identify unmet needs and develop programs or services to have a meaningful positive impact. For example, students may create an app or website to help homebound seniors schedule rides to medical appointments or facilitate check-ins, or they could implement an after-school tutoring program for low-income elementary school children. Projects like these directly serve those in need.

Improving public/civic engagement

Getting community members more civically involved and participating in community decision making is important for strong, vibrant communities. Students could analyze voter turnout, volunteer rates, or civic group membership in their city and develop strategies to increase participation, such as creating a bike-based get-out-the-vote effort or holding civic forums/meetings in more neighborhood locations. The goal would be empowering community voices and strengthening civic discourse.

Bridging cultural understanding

In diverse communities, greater cultural understanding can help foster togetherness and equality. As their capstone, students may organize cultural exchange events, workplace cultural sensitivity training sessions, or cross-cultural mentoring programs between local schools. They could also research how two specific cultural groups interact to identify tensions and develop recommendations for improvement, such as through community mediation. Projects that facilitate cultural appreciation and inclusion can make real impacts.

Leveraging technology for social good

Technology continues to rapidly change the world, and students can leverage new technologies to address social issues. For example, they could build a mobile app to connect volunteers with local non-profits needing assistance, create an online platform for reporting uncared for neighborhood properties like overgrown lots to the city, or develop an online job training and placement program for unemployed young adults. Harnessing technology opens up many possibilities for driving positive change.

Public health initiatives

Promoting good public health is crucial. Students could assess a community’s nutrition and exercise levels to identify at-risk groups and plan interventions like community gardens or walking groups. Or they may conduct research on a serious local health issue like opioid abuse and propose evidence-based prevention and treatment programs. Public health focused projects aim to tackle critical needs and improve residents’ well-being.

The key aspects of a successful capstone project are that it addresses an authentic problem or need, provides tangible benefits, and involves active partnership with community stakeholders. The examples outlined here represent just a sampling of the meaningful, impactful projects students could undertake that have real world applications. By choosing to take on an issue they’re passionate about and that affects real people, students can create capstones that drive positive change and make a difference.

CAN YOU PROVIDE MORE EXAMPLES OF CAPSTONE PROJECTS AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

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Northeastern University prides itself on providing students with experiential learning opportunities through their capstone program in the final year of study. The capstone is designed to allow students to integrate the knowledge and skills gained throughout their undergraduate studies by completing a substantial project that addresses a real-world problem or issue. Students work closely with faculty advisors and often externship partners in the community to design and implement their capstone projects.

Some past capstone projects from Northeastern students include:

Design and development of a mobile application for a nonprofit organization that supports refugees resettling in Boston. The app helps refugees locate important resources like housing, education, healthcare, and employment assistance. It was designed based on user testing and feedback from refugees and the nonprofit’s caseworkers.

Analysis of food insecurity and lack of access to nutritious food options on college campuses. The student conducted surveys and interviews at Northeastern and other local universities. Their capstone project report offered recommendations to schools on partnerships with local farms/grocers, strategies for increasing EBT/SNAP acceptance on campus, and designs for improving campus food pantries.

Development of workplace training programs and materials for a growing technology startup in the education space. The student analyzed the company’s current products, identified skills gaps for different employee roles, and created online and in-person training modules focused on pedagogy, instructional design, and role-specific tech platforms.

Research and policy proposals around increasing the energy efficiency of older buildings in Boston. The student performed an audit of energy usage data from city-owned buildings, identified retrofitting opportunities, and drafted recommendations for regulations, incentives, and pilot programs to scale up energy efficiency upgrades citywide.

Design and prototyping of adaptive switch devices to improve independence for individuals with limited hand mobility due to conditions like arthritis. The biomedical engineering student worked with occupational therapists and patients to understand needs and gathered anatomical data to 3D print prototype switches in different sizes, angles, and textures for testing.

The capstone experience at Northeastern takes place over two quarters (6 months) during a student’s senior or penultimate year of study. Students follow a structured process of selecting their project, conducting background research and literature reviews, developing detailed project plans and timelines, getting requisite IRB approvals if working with human subjects, implementing their work, and reporting out results.

Capstone projects can take the form of applied research studies, needs assessments, program/product designs and development activities, policy analyses and recommendations, business/nonprofit consulting projects, and more. The common thread is that they allow students to engage in authentic professional work that puts their accumulated learning to practical use.

Students work under the guidance of both a capstone faculty advisor from their department as well as an external advisor or mentor from the partner organization if applicable. Throughout the capstone period, students meet regularly with their advisors for feedback, submit interim deliverables and progress updates, and ultimately produce a final capstone report, presentation, and documentation of their process and outcomes.

The capstone holds special significance as the culminating experience of a Northeastern education. It allows undergraduate students an early opportunity to take on a professional project from start to finish, building skills in self-directed learning, collaboration, project management, critical thinking, and communication that will serve them well as they transition to post-graduate roles or further study. Faculty and organizational partners also value the opportunity to engage with soon-to-be graduates who can help address real problems through their applied work.

Through intensive, experiential capstone projects, Northeastern University ensures its students integrate classroom learning into thoughtful, impactful approaches to issues facing communities locally and globally. The model continues Northeastern’s commitment to providing a practice-centered education that prepares graduates for lifelong success across all career fields and sectors.

HOW CAN I APPROACH POTENTIAL SPONSORS FOR MY CAPSTONE PROJECT

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The first step is to identify potential sponsors that may be interested in your capstone project topic and goals. Conduct thorough research on companies, organizations, and individuals in your local area or field of study that could benefit from the outcomes of your project. Look at their priorities, mission statements, and recent projects to see where your project could potentially align or help advance their own objectives. Make a list of 5-10 strong potential sponsors.

Once you’ve identified prospective sponsors, create a polished sponsorship package that you can send them to introduce your project. The package should include an executive summary, problem statement, project goals and outcomes, proposed timeline, budget, and explanation of how their sponsorship would be recognized and leveraged. The summary should clearly and concisely articulate the societal or industrial problem your project aims to address in 2-3 concise paragraphs. The problem statement section should elaborate further on the need and implications if left unsolved.

Outline specific, measurable goals for your project and the tangible outcomes you expect to achieve with their support. Provide a timeline that shows phase 1 starting immediately upon securing funding and ending with phase 2 and project wrap up at your target completion date. Your budget should include a total funding request amount broken down by material, labour, equipment, and other major cost categories. Assure sponsors their funding and company brand will be appropriately recognized through reports, presentations, publicity, and other means to maximize return on their investment.

After compiling your sponsorship package, the next step is reaching out to request initial calls or meetings with your prospective sponsors. Send a brief, targeted email introducing yourself and requesting 10-15 minutes of their time within the next 2 weeks to discuss an opportunity that aligns with their interests. Follow up promptly if no response. When securing a meeting, come prepared with 3-5 customized benefits or incentives you can offer each individual sponsor depending on their goals to really entice their interest.

During initial meetings, be sure to qualify the sponsor’s willingness and ability to get involved at your requested funding level before presenting the full package. Listen actively and find common ground to build rapport. Qualifying questions could include understanding their budget cycles, areas of strategic focus, and process for approving sponsored projects. Thank them for their consideration regardless of decision and request to follow up after they’ve reviewed your materials further. Following meetings, promptly send a thank you email recapping your conversation and next steps.

For prospects wanting to learn more, send your full sponsorship package within 24 hours of the meeting. Package should be tailored to specifically address what you discussed would appeal most to their organization. Provide a brief deadline of 2 weeks for a decision to be respectful of sponsors’ time. After the waiting period, follow up respectfully with any sponsors who have yet to commit. Consider adjusting your ask based on indications of reduced budgets or time constraints while still pursuing your core goals.

As you secure commitments, send formal sponsorship agreements outlining terms, recognition benefits, payment schedules, and intellectual property agreements ensuring clarity for all parties. Maintain regular, at minimum quarterly, progress reporting and opportunities for feedback meetings to showcase accomplishments and address any concerns. At project completion, provide a detailed final report including outcomes, lessons learned, recommendations, and ways the sponsor directly benefited from their support. Express gratitude, build lasting relationships, and look for future partnership opportunities whenever possible.

By conducting thorough research, customizing your outreach, qualifying sponsors’ fit, and maintaining transparency and quality communications throughout, you maximize chances of securing committed funding partnerships and valuable industry connections. Treating sponsors as true collaborators helps ensure the success of your capstone project while establishing your reputation and furthering both your personal and sponsors’ professional goals. With dedication to professionalism and quality results, your strategic sponsorship approach can pay great dividends.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE CONCEPT OF PLACEMAKING IN INTERIOR DESIGN CAPSTONE PROJECTS

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Placemaking is a collaborative process by which we can shape our public realm in order to maximize shared value. Placemaking in the context of interior design focuses on improving the functionality and character of indoor spaces to cultivate meaningful experiences for users. A key goal of placemaking is to design spaces that promote community and culture. For an interior design capstone project, implementing principles of placemaking can help students design functional yet engaging spaces that serve the needs of various stakeholder groups.

One of the essential tenets of placemaking is understanding the historic and cultural context of a space and incorporating that context meaningfully into the design. For a capstone project, students should conduct in-depth research on the building, organization or community that will occupy the designed space. This includes understanding the mission and values of the occupants, as well as researching any historical or cultural significance of the location. By comprehending the deeper context, students can design spaces that authentically serve the needs and reflect the identity of the intended users.

For example, if designing a community center located in a historic building, students may choose to incorporate design elements that pay homage to architectural details from the original structure or local cultural artifacts. Or when designing an office, students could reference symbols or imagery meaningful to the company’s brand or activities. Integrating context ensures the designed spaces have relevance, meaning and resonance for stakeholders.

Another critical piece of placemaking for capstone projects is engaging stakeholders in the design process. Interior designers should seek input from various groups who will use the space, such as employees, volunteers, visitors, community leaders and more. This can be done through interviews, focus groups, surveys and design charrettes where stakeholders provide feedback on preliminary concepts. Gathering diverse perspectives helps ensure the space is adequately serving everyone and cultivates ownership over the final design.

Students must also evaluate how people currently use and move through similar existing places. This could involve on-site observations and mapping social behaviors. Understanding natural patterns of circulation and gathering provides key insights for the most functional and people-centered layout. For example, if observing many informal meetings occur in a hallway, the new design may purposefully allocate an open lounge area in that location.

Building on insights from research and stakeholder engagement, capstone placemaking projects then define a bold vision for how the designed space can nurture human experiences and interactions. For instance, the vision may emphasize creating an inspirational and collaborative workplace, or a warm and welcoming community hub. From this vision, various aspects of the physical design such as materials, lighting, furniture, color palettes, graphics and art are intentionally selected and composed to evoke the intended experience.

Signage, wayfinding and branding should raise awareness of available programs and resources to achieve effective activation of the space. Digital displays or bulletin boards can also promote a sense of community by highlighting user-generated content. Other tactics like hosting regular gatherings and rotating art exhibits encourage ongoing connection and evolution of the space over time.

Thoughtful consideration of how people of all demographics may interact within the space is also important for inclusivity and universal access. This includes following ADA accessibility guidelines but also performing inclusive design best practices like utilizing intuitive pictograms and varying seating types. Diversity and cultural sensitivity training aids students in designing for people of all backgrounds.

Implementing placemaking principles challenges interior design capstone students to conceive holistic projects that cultivate human well-being through the strategic design of functional and experiential indoor environments. By adequately involving stakeholders and leveraging contextual research, placemaking-focused designs manifest buildings and spaces that authentically serve communities and foster a greater sense of shared value amongst all users.