Final Project: Spring Capstone
How can I remix a previous project for continuous improvement?
Timeline
~70 Days (14 Weeks)
1 Week Ideation/Planning
4 Weeks Project Mode: Version 1
3 Weeks Project Mode: Version 2
4 Weeks Project Mode: Version 3
1 Week Final Version Presentaitons
1 Week Built-in Buffer Time
Can be used for catch up, revision, reflection, or a fun extra activity. As this falls at the end of the year, we anticipate the calendar may be tight.
NYS Computing Standards
Due to the open-ended nature of projects in this course, they have the chance to cover all of the NYS Computational Thinking Standards.
Because this project involves a vast amount of student choice, it may highlight many different strands and standards.
Project Focus Narrative
The entirety of spring semester is devoted to students working on one final capstone project. Because of the time committed, they should be able to go beyond an MVP to something that is significantly more realized. The choice of project is entirely up to the students.
Generally, final projects fall into one of three categories:
Invest in and improve their community - Build something that will encourage and empower users to get more involved in a specific cause or initiative. For example, you could build a homework help bulletin board, where people can post items that they can't figure out, and other community members can support them.
Improve health or lifestyle - Build something that will help users make healthier choices in their day-to-day life. For example, you could build a meal planner that ensures food is cooked and eaten before it spoils.
Educate or inform - Build an interactive experience that will grow the user's understanding of an important topic. Can't Unsee is an example of something that uses JavaScript to inform the user about design.
Help save money, time, or energy - Build something that will help your user make better decisions about their resources. For example, you might build a tool that helps a user build a budget based on how much they take home in a pay period, and the recommended allocations for how much to spend on things like rent and groceries.
Entertain - Build something that will add some fun to the user's life. For example, you might try to put together a collaborative painting program, or create a game that is entirely invented or a new twist on an old classic.
There is also a 6th option - students could choose to again remix a past project (again, from this year or past years) into something bigger. The one caveat here is that students must ensure that their plans to remix the project will be able to take them through the entire semester, so exercise discretion in using this option.
As long as the project has enough scope to fill the time provided, students should be allowed to create a project around a topic that interests them since they will be sticking with it for a long time. There should also be an emphasis placed on the fact that they will not be able to decide to ‘start from scratch’ a month into the semester - they will need to pivot with what they already have in order to complete the final on time
Texts/Resources
[TBD]
Showcase Skills
Project Planning: Demonstrating effective project planning and management skills to successfully complete a long-term capstone project.
Advanced Development: Implementing advanced features and functionality beyond MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to create a more realized and polished final project. Students should have many ‘MVPs’ that they continue to iterate on at different points throughout the semester, seeking continuous improvement.
Self-Directed Learning: Engaging in self-directed learning to explore new technologies, frameworks, or methodologies relevant to their chosen project.
Problem Solving: Identifying and addressing challenges and obstacles encountered during the project development process.
Creativity and Innovation: Demonstrating creativity and innovation in designing and implementing a project that aligns with personal interests and passions.
Collaboration: Collaborating with peers or mentors to seek feedback, share ideas, and overcome challenges during project development.
Time Management: Effectively managing time and resources to meet project milestones and deadlines throughout the semester.
Adaptability and Persistence: Remaining adaptable and persistent in the face of setbacks or unexpected challenges, pivoting as necessary to stay on track toward project completion.
Project Requirements
Project Choice: Choose a capstone project based on personal interests and passions, aligned with one of the provided categories or a unique idea.
Scope Definition: Clearly define the scope of the project to ensure it has enough complexity and depth to fill the time provided for the semester.
Advanced Features: Implement advanced features and functionality beyond MVP to enhance the usability, functionality, and overall user experience of the final project.
Self-Directed Learning: Engage in self-directed learning to explore new technologies, frameworks, or methodologies relevant to the chosen project, seeking guidance and resources as needed.
Iterative Development: Utilize iterative development processes to continuously improve and refine the project throughout the semester, incorporating feedback and making adjustments as necessary.
Documentation: Provide comprehensive documentation of the project, including design decisions, technical implementation details, and challenges faced and overcome.
Presentation: Prepare a polished presentation or demonstration showcasing the final project, highlighting key features, functionality, and the creative process behind its development.
Reflection: Reflect on the capstone project experience, discussing challenges, successes, and lessons learned, and identifying areas for future growth and improvement.
Commitment to Completion: Emphasize the importance of committing to the chosen project and avoiding the temptation to start from scratch or pivot drastically late in the semester, encouraging adaptability and persistence in completing the final project on time
Check-Ins and Deliverables
[TBD]
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