Effective Assessment of Computer Science Capstone Projects and Student Outcomes

Abstract

A capstone project is a culminating experience that entails creativity, critical thinking, and advanced problem-solving skills. To that end, capstone projects enable students to prove their abilities, demonstrate their attained skills, and carry out a significant project in their field. In Computer Science Bachelor programs, there is a strong mapping between learning outcomes of capstone projects and all student learning outcomes. This paper presents an assessment framework for capstone courses that allows for sound evaluations of the performance of students and project qualities; besides assessing the student outcomes of the program. The developed framework comprises criteria, indicators, extensive analytic rubrics, and a summative statistical formulation. The presented course and framework are supported by the results, analysis, and evaluation of a pilot study for a single institution to explore the effectiveness of the proposed tool.