Work In Progress - Matching Capstone Projects To The Student

This work in progress investigates the way in which senior-year (capstone) projects are assigned to students and examines how project allocation can be improved. Computer science undergraduates in the UK invariably undertake a capstone project requiring them to carry out a major piece of work and to write a report. The growth in student numbers now means that it is often difficult to assign projects to students optimally. However, ad hoc methods of assigning projects do not necessarily afford students the best possible educational experience. This work in progress looks at the capstone project and asks, 'How can we assign a project to a student that allows him or her to increase the breadth and depth of their learning and to provide a mechanism that supports their intellectual development?' We explore the relationship between student motivation and the student's initial perception of the learning curve involved in becoming familiar with a project. For example, students sometimes reject viable projects that can ultimately lead to success because they find the initial specification daunting.