By Marcus Powe, RMIT University
Last century, yes the 1980’s, capstones were alive and well and were designed to do one thing, to really see if a graduating student could “do it”.
This radical approach shook the foundations of the university as the teacher/lecturer not only had to have intellectual mastery of the research and models, they also had to have the real world experience.
What, I hear you think, do it? I don’t have the time to do it, I am an academic. This is the first paradox of the capstone and why the term pracademic came into being, the practising academic.
After all, if you can’t do it, why call it a capstone, just do another assignment, pass the exam and you are qualified. Qualified to pass exams. I have been fortunate to be taught by academics and pracademics to appreciate and respect the merit of both approaches to determine whether a student can accomplish the tasks to survive and add value in the turbulence of today’s market place.
A simple example.
When I was learning to become a pilot, the study and exams was intense, meteorology, navigation, aircraft engineering and performance, etc. I then had to do countless circuits and navigation exercises with my instructors. Finally I was assessed as being able to go solo. At last my Biggles moment! The real test, could I take off, do a circuit and land and not kill myself or others? You will have deduced that I am still alive! The capstone was the first solo cross country navigation test. Two engine failures later, I thought perhaps education is safer…
The capstone that I facilitate in Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam is the final course of an Executive MBA. Students attend from all parts of world to participate in a four day intensive. The intensive is simply a summary of their last two years of study. We demonstrate and practice how the courses are connected (a big shock), run continuous testing over the four days and determine if they can go solo. Many crash, then they take off again. They must show me that that can sit at a board room table and importantly, stay there. Should they stay in the pilot’s seat?
Students are constantly challenged with simplicity, how do they explain their thinking, research skills, strategy formation and execution to those that have not had the benefit of higher education – they really struggle. I challenge them by demonstrating how the previous courses are connected and that without them demonstrating their understanding and flexible thinking they will remain specialists and not be able to fly the aircraft. For example, engineering students are wonderfully skilled in numeracy, technical thinking and, above all, creativity. When they are challenged with, say, a human resource issue, they often fail to understand the human dynamic, many thought they would not need these skills as they are engineers. Imagine being a skilled pilot and not studied and understood human factors, getting the most out of the crew?
The second paradox and final thought for this story is the reflective paper each student writes for me. I ask them to write about their experiences while studying, their feelings and what has also happened to them outside the university. The students have presented their very last university assignment in either poetry, video, journals or song. The creative output is fantastic, a shame we leave it to the very end of their learning to allow this true potential to not only harness their imagination and creativity but also to fly.
Marcus Powe PhD
Entrepreneur in Residence
RMIT University