Capstone portfolios and geography student learning outcomes

Abstract

Due to increasing demands regarding student learning outcomes and accreditation, a capstone portfolio was added to assess critical thinking and communication skills of geography majors at a large public university in the USA. The portfolio guidelines were designed to be adaptable to a flexible curriculum where about half of the requirements within the major are structured. This paper discusses the portfolio requirements and assessment rubrics developed following multiple portfolio iterations, gives guidance to instructors, and synthesizes potential benefits for students, departments and employers.

Keywords::

• capstone
• portfolio
• learning outcomes
• rubrics
• assessment
• accreditation

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Burrell Montz of East Carolina University for discussion and resource exchange regarding capstone portfolios, and two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the Association of American Geographers' (AAG) Enhancing Departments and Graduate Education (EDGE) project, sponsored by the National Science Foundation [grant number DRL-0910041].