MSCI CULMINATING/ CAPSTONE EVENTS

Each MSCI graduate student is required to select one of three possible culminating events. The student may collaborate with a graduate faculty member to research an issue and submit an article for possible publication in a professional journal. Writing a thesis is another option. The third option is the completion of a professional portfolio using artifacts that are examples of professional growth and representative of proficiency in the five propositions offered by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

As a teacher leader, a graduate student may want opportunities to contribute to the field of study in broader ways and to become associated with leaders in that field. Publishing an article in a refereed educational journal is one way to accomplish this. The graduate student who wants to pursue such possibilities chooses the Collaborative Research Publication as the culminating event. The student and a faculty member share the research process and write an article. The student presents the article, along with information about the refereed journal, to the MSCI Culminating/Capstone Events Committee for editorial review that may result in revisions. After committee acceptance, the student submits the article to the selected journal for publication. Presenting proof of submission completes requirements for the culminating event. The capstone class, ED 790, is the vehicle for academic credit for successful completion of the CRP.

A graduate student planning to pursue further graduate work, perhaps even entering a doctoral program, may want to become involved in research and then write a thesis as the culminating event. This student chooses the thesis option. The thesis process includes a proposal hearing, the writing of the thesis, an oral defense of the final product, the completion of any necessary revisions, and submission for binding. The capstone class, ED 790, is the vehicle for academic credit for successful completion of the thesis.

The portfolio option may be the best choice for graduate students who prefer to demonstrate research-based practice by connecting learning from graduate courses and theory found in current research to their teaching. The student choosing this option carefully analyzes products generated during MSCI classes and/or professional experiences and selects as artifacts those that demonstrate proficiency in each of the five propositions of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. For each of the five propositions, the student then writes a 3-5 page analytical reflection that connects the selected artifact directly to relevant research and theories supporting that proposition. The capstone class, ED 790, is the vehicle for academic credit for successful completion of the portfolio.