Capstone Experiences in Career and Technical Education :: Employment Jobs Businesses Essays

Capstone Experiences in Career and Technical EducationCapstones are culminating gets in which students synthesize subject-matter knowledge they find acquired, integrate cross-disciplinary knowledge, and connect theory and application in preparation for entry into a career (Fairchild and Taylor 2000). Durel (1993) evocatively describes them as a rite of passage or liminal verge through which participants change their status from student to graduate. A coping stone course should be both a synthesisreflection and integrationand a dyada real-world preparatory experience that foc customs on the postgraduation future (Fairchild and Taylor 2000 Rhodus and Hoskins 1995). In career and technical education (CTE), capstones are most often found in postsecondary business, agriculture, and ally health programs in their emphasis on integration, experiential learning, and real-world problem solving, they would be valuable in any CTE field of honor. This Brief discusses the rationale for capst ones, presents evidence of their effectiveness, and describes ways to use them in CTE. Why Capstones?Many types of work now require more than technical expertise (Fairchild and Taylor 2000 Magney 1996). In many fields, a wide range of untechnical skills is now essential leadership, teamwork, problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, interpersonal communication, information management (Fairchild and Taylor 2000 Rhodus and Hoskins 1995). For example, in organizations with flatter hierarchies, management responsibilities are now being downshifted to technicians (Magney 1996). knowledge technology graduates need not only specialized technical skills but also project management skills and awareness of global concerns and business practices (Novitzki 1998). Nurses must be prepared for change management, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration in the volatile health care field (Rains, Richardson, and Fowler 1999). To achieve these outcomes, the objectives of a ca pstone course, project, or experience typically include the following (Fairchild and Taylor 2000 Rhodus and Hoskins 1995 Thomas 1998) . To provide students an opportunity to synthesize knowledge from formal and informal learning and apply it to contemporary issues in the field . To help prepare students for a successful career by providing experiences that enhance their labor market advantage . To increase students understanding of the big picture, including ethical and sociable issues related to the field . To help students understand the relevance of theory and research to practice How Effective Are Capstones?What benefits do students receive from capstone experiences? Agriculture capstone graduates (Andreasen and Trede 1998) recognized the application of knowledge from other courses as the most beneficial outcome.