Capstone Experience and Effective Communication Requirements

MEMORANDUM

To: Department Chairs and Program Coordinators

From: Steve James
Chair of APPC

Re: Motions 2 and 3 of the Gettysburg Curriculum: the Capstone Experience and
Effective Communication


Dear Colleagues:

In the continuing task to implement the Gettysburg Curriculum, APPC asks that each department and program provide a plan for meeting Motions 2 and 3. These motions, to formalize a capstone experience and to specify how students will learn the communication conventions of the specialty area, are appended to this memorandum.

APPC requests that both plans be submitted together, as we anticipate that natural overlaps will occur or that one plan may help to inform the other, etc. Thus, the exercise may be easier and more logical if the plans are prepared concurrently.

APPC also recognizes that implementation of these two motions may in some cases require changes to the major program of study, in which case the committee would like to consider such program changes along with the two plans.

We request that these plans be submitted by November 15 of the current semester.


Motion 2 mandates a capstone experience for every major, which will normally be completed in the senior year. The student completing the capstone is expected to (1) engage in a synthetic experience that integrates learning across the major curriculum, (2) demonstrate an appropriate level of mastery over the chosen area of concentration, and (3) demonstrate mastery of the communication conventions of the major.

APPC recognizes that nearly all major programs of study offer experiences that can be used to satisfy the capstone requirement, e.g., a senior seminar, senior thesis, a senior recital or show, 400-level course, and certain 300-level courses. APPC recognizes that the form of these experiences will vary widely, from performances and portfolio showings to original research/writing projects spanning many different contexts, disciplines, and applications.

APPC also recognizes that a single capstone experience cannot, or may only rarely, synthesize comprehensively across an entire discipline, or a group of disciplines. Instead, APPC envisions that the capstone will integrate at least some, but not all components within a specialty area. Thus the following example, taken from a course syllabus, provides a rationale behind one 300-level capstone course in the Biology major, by identifying those courses and experiences that this particular capstone serves to integrate:


"Capstone experience: Molecular Genetics integrates learning from a number
of different foundational courses, including Genetics (Bio 211), Cell Biology (Bio 212),
Bioinformatics (Bio 251), Microbiology (Bio 230), and Biochemistry (Chem 333,
Bio/Chem 334). In addition, Molecular Genetics shares significant disciplinary approaches
and principles with Immunobiology (Bio 332) and Evolution (Bio 314). Furthermore,
Molecular Genetics provides the opportunity for students to demonstrate proficiency at
communication conventions of their major, through the writing of a comprehensive scientific
paper. This comprehensive paper is linked with the semester-long research project that
forms the basis for the laboratory component of the course. For these reasons, Molecular
Genetics may be used in fulfillment of the capstone experience for majors in Biology or
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology."

Suggested guidelines for describing the capstone experiences in your program:

In considering your plan, it will be helpful for APPC to have a brief description of the form and nature of each proposed capstone experience, and how it will meet each of the three criteria listed above. A brief summary or outline of the learning components that are integrated under the capstone would also be helpful. APPC envisions that in many cases, a single rationale may suffice to explain a group of similar capstone experiences.

Motion 3 encompasses a two-fold purpose, one of which will expand the first-year writing requirement, and the second will formalize effective communication goals throughout the major curriculum. Here, APPC requests that departments and programs address the latter component of Motion 3 by providing a plan whereby students in the major will be trained in the communication conventions of the discipline or specialty area. This plan will normally identify courses and experiences beyond the first year, one element of which will include the capstone experiences.

APPC recognizes that major programs of study may differ widely in their pedagogical approaches and practices. For example, some programs may use a developmental approach with increasing sophistication from level to level of the curriculum, while other programs may use a more lateral approach in which students engage in a variety of multiple discourses and forms of communication throughout the four-year experience. And, some programs may combine these or use other approaches.






Suggested guidelines for explaining effective communication conventions in the major program of study:

It will be helpful to APPC to have a list and brief description of each of the components necessary to effective communication in the major discipline, e.g., information literacy, data interpretation, understanding of the tools of data analysis, oral communication skills, written communication skills, performance-based forms of expression, visual and multimedia-based forms of expression, service-learning and public service-based forms of communication, and others that may be important to your program. It would also be helpful to have a brief description of some of the contexts, or examples to illustrate, how and where students use these different communication conventions within the major discipline. Please indicate where and how these conventions will be taught and practiced within the course of study for the major.


How difficult will it be to forge these two plans?:

As a perspective to guide the preparation of these plans, please be aware that several departments have submitted complete and well-crafted documents of total length 4-5 pages (2-3 pages per plan). These departments (Computer Science, Chemistry, and Biology) are willing to share their approved plans with other department and programs.

If you have questions, please contact a member of APPC. The faculty committee members have divided up responsibility for responding to your queries, as follows:

Steve James (Biology) and Sharon Stephenson (Physics): Natural Sciences
Eleanor Hogan (Asian Studies): Humanities
Charlie Emmons (Sociology) and Janet Riggs (Psychology): Social Sciences

Thank you very much for your hard work to implement the new curriculum.


Sincerely,

Steve



Motion Two:

The Curriculum Sub-Committee moves that every major must contain a senior capstone course or experience. The capstone will provide evidence that the student has mastered significant content in the major and the communication conventions of the major. Evidence of the capstone, in the form of a paper, a videotape, or other evidence will be added to the student's reflective dossier.

Rationale:

A senior capstone provides an opportunity for students to integrate their learnings in the major curriculum and to demonstrate the appropriate level of intellectual mastery over their chosen area of concentration. At present almost every major at the College already contains such an experience, in the form of a senior seminar, thesis, or 400-level course. This motion elevates the major-related requirements to the level of a general education requirement, affirming the goal that every Gettysburg College student achieve this level of intellectual mastery and integration.

Implementation:

Within a semester of passage of this motion, each department or program offering a major will inform the APDC of the nature and requirements of the capstone for that major. In the case of departments or programs that do not currently have a capstone, the requirement will take effect for students declaring the major after notification by the department/program to the APDC.



Motion Three - Effective Communication:

The Curriculum Sub-Committee moves that the first-year writing requirement be expanded through a broader set of options, including but not limited to designated First-Year Seminars, Introduction to College Writing, or a first-year course within a discipline that emphasizes its discourse conventions. Beyond the first-year experience, students will be expected to engage the effective communication goal within specific disciplines as a component of the major curriculum.

Rationale:
The Sub-Committee believes that the current requirement for writing proficiency, English 101, is not a realistic standard, for a single class will not transform a student into an effective writer. Moreover, students need to be made aware that effective communication practices exist beyond this limited first-year requirement. Instead a broad array of communication skills within the LAC and the major should be stressed. By incorporating training and practice of writing, reading, listening, speaking, and technological and information literacy in a number of different courses over the student¿s four-year Gettysburg career, we demonstrate for our students the primary place effective communication has within our curriculum and that effective communication skills cross disciplinary boundaries.

Implementation:

The Sub-Committee understands that effective communication skills are being practiced already within majors. Still, this on-going work deserves greater attention in the general education curriculum and graduation requirements of the College. Therefore, we ask that departments

a) consider adding writing as an essential pedagogical tool in one first-year class

b) provide to the APDC a plan whereby students in the major will be trained in the communication conventions of the specialty area; this plan will normally identify a discipline-specific course or courses beyond the first year; departments will be asked to provide this plan within one academic year of passage of this motion by the Faculty

c) acknowledge a capstone class or experience (such as undergraduate research) within the major that asks senior students to demonstrate effective, discipline-specific communication skills.