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Capstone Project Guidelines for Music Education

The document provides guidelines for a capstone project required for a Masters in Music Education program. It outlines requirements for project topics, proposals, formats and successful components. Capstone projects allow students to engage in independent work focusing on an area of specialization and demonstrate knowledge gained in the program.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
63 views2 pages

Capstone Project Guidelines for Music Education

The document provides guidelines for a capstone project required for a Masters in Music Education program. It outlines requirements for project topics, proposals, formats and successful components. Capstone projects allow students to engage in independent work focusing on an area of specialization and demonstrate knowledge gained in the program.

Uploaded by

anisha Panda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Capstone Project Guidelines

The Capstone Project provides an opportunity for students to engage in high-level work focusing on an
area of specialization within the profession. Capstone projects (CP) will be inquiry and practice-centered,
and will draw upon areas of interest to the student. All Capstones aim to bridge theory and practice and
are aimed to have an impact on the professional life of students whether they work in classrooms, studios
or community spaces.

Students will identify the topics for their Capstone Project during their course work. Capstone projects
often take their inspiration from projects, papers, and experiences related to course work in the degree
program. However, to ascertain students’ abilities for independent work and their capacity for self-
directed inquiry, capstone projects must demonstrate in what ways individual graduate students have
researched, developed, and extended, or applied the ideas and strategies under investigation.

Capstone Projects encourage the application of knowledge gained on teaching and learning throughout
the Masters of Music Education program. Additionally, the Capstone Project should demonstrate the
depth and extent of knowledge of students. Capstone projects may take a variety of formats (e.g., video,
web, traditional text, media) of scholarly work. These may be, but are not limited to, the investigation of
practices and educational ideas, the development of curricular materials, or teaching approaches.

A successful Capstone Project shall:

1) Illuminate and bring new insight to an area of the music education field;
2) Demonstrate a depth and breadth of knowledge and the application of this knowledge to
scholarship and/or practice;
3) Present a clearly articulated investigative framework, while situating projects within established
academic practices and/or ideas;
4) Offer inquiry-based argumentation for educational/curricular change and adaptation where
conceptual propositions are tied to in-the-world realities.

General Guidelines

In consultation with faculty, students will select a topic and submit a proposal to the Department of Music
Education. Upon acceptance, students may proceed with their Capstone Project. Proposals must be
submitted to the department no later than two weeks into the semester in which the capstone is to be
completed. To gain proposal approval, students will submit a 5-page outline of their projects as
delineated below. All capstone projects require a substantive final and polished format and will be
archived by the Department of Music Education upon completion.

Proposals

A Capstone Project Proposal should contain the following:

1) Introduction – Explains the interest in the topic and situates the project in a scholarly and/or
practical context.
2) Goals and Process – Describes the goals and purpose of the project. The section will detail the
activities that will take place during the project, including who will be involved, and the role the
student will play.
3) Final Product and Timeframe – Outlines the timeline for the project. This section will also detail
the final format of the project and how it will be presented.

Format of Capstone Projects

A Capstone Project should encompass the following minimum parameters:

 A capstone project may take several forms and often yields the production of materials for
teaching, learning, research, or for a variety of applications within the field.
 Each capstone project must show: (a) depth and breadth of scholarly understanding, and (b) the
application of this understanding to practice.
 A condition of the capstone project is that students demonstrate the ability to gather materials,
review current literature, and to examine sufficient background material to inform the
development of original work.
 To this end, the capstone projects should be though in two parts:

1) A narrative-focused segment that describes and reflects upon the process, as well as a
literature review sufficient to provide a scholarly contextualization of the project.
a) Length will vary but a good expectation for this section would be 20 to 25 pages;
inclusive of references

2) A practice-oriented segment where original and collected materials will be collected.


a) Multimedia and web-based formats are highly encouraged in this segment of the
capstone.
b) Materials should be ‘sharable’ and aimed at impacting an area of work within
music education.

Common questions

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Capstone Projects are suited for master's level music education because they require a high level of critical thinking, self-directed learning, and the ability to translate complex ideas into practical applications. They facilitate the synthesis of knowledge acquired throughout the program, encourage innovation, and promote professional growth by addressing real-world issues and bridging theory with practice in a significant, impactful way .

Independent research in Capstone Projects allows students to demonstrate their ability to investigate and extend ideas independently, collect and review relevant literature, and examine background materials to inform the development of original, practice-oriented work. This self-directed inquiry is crucial for showcasing students' capacity to engage meaningfully in their areas of interest .

The primary objectives of a Capstone Project in the Masters of Music Education program are to bridge theory and practice and have an impact on the professional life of the student. Students are expected to investigate, develop, and apply ideas and strategies relevant to their areas of interest. The Capstone Project should also illuminate an area of the music education field, demonstrate a depth and breadth of knowledge, present a well-defined investigative framework, and offer inquiry-based argumentation for educational change .

The practice-oriented segment contributes to music education by creating original, often multimedia and web-based materials that provide practical applications or resources. These materials are designed to be sharable, facilitating broader dissemination and impact, and aim to address specific educational challenges or opportunities within the field, reinforcing the relevance and applicability of the theoretical insights gained during the program .

Capstone Projects encourage the integration of theory and practice by requiring students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, develop curricular materials, or innovate teaching approaches within the field of music education. This aligns with the goal of impacting professional practice and demonstrating comprehensive understanding through project-based inquiry and development .

A Capstone Project can take several formats, such as video, web, traditional text, or other media. These formats must demonstrate the depth and breadth of scholarly understanding, apply this understanding to practice, include narratives and literature reviews to contextualize the project, and consist of practice-oriented elements with original and sharable materials .

One challenge is ensuring that the project integrates comprehensive literature reviews and solid contextual frameworks with original practical applications. Students must balance demonstrating deep theoretical understanding with effectively translating this knowledge into practice, while also contending with the demands of independent research, synthesis of diverse information sources, and innovation within their chosen topic .

Students should structure their Capstone Project proposals with an introduction explaining their interest in the topic and its scholarly context, a section detailing the goals, purpose, and processes including involved parties and student roles, and an outline of the final product along with a project timeline .

To approve a Capstone Project proposal, students must submit a 5-page outline that includes the project's introduction, goals, processes, final product, and timeline. The proposal needs to be submitted to the Department of Music Education within two weeks of the semester when the capstone is to be completed .

Situating a Capstone Project within established academic practices or ideas is important because it ensures the project is grounded in existing knowledge while contributing new insights or developments. This contextualization helps validate the project's relevance and enhances its scholarly rigor as students engage in inquiry-based argumentation for curricular changes and educational adaptations .

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