CAPSTONE PROJECTS: UNLEASHING IMAGINATION AND ENGAGING MINDS

摘要

Many new faculty may face challenges related to effective teaching techniques. Student perception of good teaching may often be different from the instructors' opinions. Finding the technique that merges the two perspectives can be challenging and vital. Project-based learning has been documented to be a guaranteed procedure for increasing students' interest in the taught topic, while developing skills that also often reward the instructor with good student evaluations. We present the lessons learned in several capstone courses taught by three instructors at three higher education institutions. Different procedures are used. Although the instructors use different techniques undergraduates are thrilled by the projects and their freedom to innovate and perform research. They usually perform outstanding work, presented at local and international conferences. Their attitude is also reflected in their evaluations of teachers. We are hopeful that our experience will provide useful ideas, particularly to new faculty.