Academic Feature - Capstone Studies
[Ed note: Many thanks to Df. Rosemary Homak f(» her contn’bution to this feature.]
Meredith Receives Grant:
Additional Capstone Courses
to be Developed
Last spring, Meredith College was
awarded a grant for $151,200 from the
Jesse Ball duPont Religious, Charitable,
and Educational Fund for (he
developmeru of new capstone courses
and the training of faculty members
who will be invoked in the project
During ^e summer, two teaching
teams were selected by the Capstone
Studies Committee to develop new
courses. Dr. Rhonda Zingraff and Dr.
Garry Walton will be ofTering a course
entitled "Living Revolutions" in Spring
1991, when Dr. Gwen Clay and Dr.
Allen Page will be preparing a course on
technology and communication to be,
CAP 400: Human Horizons -
Past & Future
Professors: Shiflettand Hornak
An historical overview of cultural
evolution provides a framework in which
humar\s are viewed as unique among
animals, because animals adapt to the
world while humans adapt the world to
themselves. Students review major
advances in the sciences, the arts, and
society. The emphasis is on examining
the interaction between the social and
moral climate with scientific and
technological advances. Afterexamining
how humans have altered their world in
the past, students work in task forces to
question how humans are currently
changing the world, and the resultant
benefits, risks, and dilemmas.
Course materials: The Ascent of
Man. textbook and videotapes by Jacob
Bronowski.
What is Capstone
Studies?
Unique course offers all majors an opportunity
for real-world problem solving
A capstone course serves as a
culminating experience for general
education requirements. It focuses on
thinking processes, board synthesis of
content, and values in action.
Students work in groups to use
critical thinking skills, knowledge
acquired in general education and their
majors, and personal values to study a
problem and implement a small,
concrete, complete outcome.
"The students have completed some
exciting projects,” Hornak said, “like
one student who worked with a North
Carolina paper mill to train their em
ployees to minimize hazardous waste."
“We ask students to try for a ‘small
win’ on a problem of current concern,
but it seems like a ‘large win!” Dr.
Shiflett added.
The Meredith College Report of the
President's Task Force for the Pursuit of
Excellence Qanuary 1989) asserted:
While we are unable to predict the
future with certainty, we must prepare
our graduates to live in it as responsible
citizens who are prepared and capable
of dealing with change. We wish to
educate them as leaders, as people who
make a difference in directing the future.
Most critical Is that learning is a life-long,
integrative process.
It is not too late to add the "Human
Horizons" course to your schedule this
fall. It appears on the registrationbulletin
under a new section called “Capstone
Studies” as CAP 400 and is offered on
TuesdayandThursday from 11:00-12:20.
The course may be taken to satisfy
general eduction requirements in the
Humanities and fme arts, Social and
behavioral sciences, orMaihematics and
natural sciences categories where
students may choose among electives.
For more information, see Dr. Homak
or Dr. ShiRett.
ofTeredinFall 1991. The duPont Fellows
attendeda five day workshop conducted
by Dr. Rosemary Homak and Dr.
Reginald Shiflea where program goals
and characteristics, along with teaching
strategies, were discussed.
Dr. Homak and Dr. Shiflett have
been offering a capstone course called
"Human Horizons: Past and Fumre” for
four years. They presented papers at
national conferences in Washington,
D.C., California, arKl Georgia on capstone
studies programs, have learned
that we have a unique program that
other colleges want to know about and
follow,” said Dr. Homak.
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