This paper presents a series of handouts that were developed for a senior seminar capstone course in communication entitled "Leadership and Communication." The paper pinpoints the increasing interest in the areas of "leadership" and "ethics" as areas of study and research in universities, and suggests that these two areas merge in what the current…

Presents methods used by the cooperative education coordinator in working with disadvantaged students enrolled at the Hartford Area Vocational Center (Vermont). Includes (l) identification of potentially disadvantaged students; (2) screening cooperative education employees; (3) student decision making; and (4) student placement interview with the…

Discusses the use of a computer algebra system in a capstone mathematics course for undergraduate mathematics majors preparing to teach secondary school mathematics. Provides sample exercises intended to demonstrate how the power of a computer algebra system such as MAPLE can contribute to desired outcomes including reinforcing and strengthening…

A study looked at four groups of mostly senior graphic and industrial design students in their final semester capstone course--a collaborative studio project intended to give them the opportunity to apply their design expertise to real-world problems for real clients. The study examined the ways in which one of these groups used arguments to…

Colleges across the nation have long been investigating the need for an oral communication component in the graduation requirements. Hence the question: should communication departments in colleges and universities advocate "speaking across the curriculum?" If the objective of education is to graduate people who can discover information…

This document presents data on the frequency with which Wisconsin capstone industrial education teachers perform their professional tasks and on the importance which they attach to these professional tasks. The data are presented in a series of tables and in two appendixes. This study is part of a larger study of junior, junior-senior, senior high…

Offers a description of a capstone course for undergraduates (majoring in either organizational or interpersonal communication) designed to help students understand and manage the interconnections between their personal and work lives. Discusses course assignments and evaluation as well as student response. (SR)

Of 340 nursing students in a capstone course, 145 were traditional age, 12 were returning registered nurses (RNs). Course content was applied differently by the two groups; most preferred discussion/seminar format. Most viewed RNs as positive role models, though some would prefer separate courses. (SK)

A capstone business course sought to develop understanding of integrated organization functions by having cross-functional teams play roles in a hypothetical case. A variety of assessment methods were used. Team teaching proved very time consuming. Students felt challenged by team responsibilities and the ambiguity in the course design. (Contains…

This paper describes the development of an outcomes assessment project called Capstone at Highland Community College (Illinois). Highland Community College needed an assessment for outcomes and competencies not measurable with a standardized test or a survey. The college created a seminar-like course, Capstone, which would provide faculty with an…

The impact of student characteristics on performance was examined in an integrative business policy capstone course that used various pedagogical techniques. Results from a covariance structure analysis of a process model with 381 subjects demonstrate the importance of individual student characteristics on student performance. (SLD)

A capstone leadership course for students working toward a bachelor of science in nursing degree is designed to integrate traditional community-health nursing with leadership to foster the development of community-based competencies for the future. (JOW)

After deciding which criteria a capstone course in a speech communication department should meet, faculty at West Texas A&M University decided to designate SCOM 401, Introduction to Rhetorical Criticism, as the capstone course. It is offered fall semester every year for juniors or seniors, and students are required to present their final…

The Urban Planning Practicum is a capstone course engaging Michigan State students in urban outreach, working with community organizations on neighborhood revitalization. It facilitates the experiential learning needs of urban planning students while assisting Extension staff in capacity building. Faculty-extension agent partnerships make it…

A yearlong senior experience course requires teams of business students to solve real problems for organizations in the community. Students enhanced responsibility, confidence, and organizational skills. Problems centered on differentiating the course from internships and improving staffing. Students had problems with group dynamics, team…