Masters Capstone

Your master’s degree program concludes with a capstone experience. This experience is facilitated through IDT 7095. This page distinguishes between the course and the defense.

Course

During (or near) your final semester in the master’s program, you will enroll in IDT 7095: Development of Interactive Learning Environments II. This course houses the capstone experience for your degree program. Teams of students (as determined by your instructor) will obtain authentic calls for proposals and work with community-based clients to resolve instructional problems. During the course, your team will analyze, design, develop, and evaluate learning materials to meet client needs. All courses taken previously in your program provide grounding in appropriate theories, principles, and skills needed to be successful in this course. You will receive a grade for this course based on the collective work that your team submits to the instructor and your client.

Past clients have included Church Health, International Paper, the Association of Educational Communications and Technology, the University of South Carolina, the University of Tennessee Health Science Program, the University of Memphis, Lakeland School District, Terminix, and others.

Defense

Near the end of IDT 7095, you will be scheduled for a capstone defense. The capstone defense consists of an individual, oral examination of the design documents, learning materials, and individual reflection you completed in IDT 7095. The oral examination is a video recorded professional discussion focused on the materials you provide. Exam administrators may ask questions regarding design decisions, client interactions, program theory, course readings, and so forth that span your entire program. You may bring notes and other materials to the exam (though they are not required).

Documents are evaluated on their general acceptability by your committee. Allow adequate time to complete your capstone work. Your committee expects and requires high quality work. There may be occasions where you are asked to revise writing, analysis, and data interpretations. To maintain balance during this portion of your life, set small goals that lead to your final project. Support groups with other graduate students may also assist you during this aspect of your program.