Computing Capstone Courses as Preparation for Practice: A Global Survey of Instructors

Many institutions, like ours (a large metropolitan university of technology), run some form of undergraduate capstone computing course during the final year of study. As computing educators, we have all read research papers on running and designing such courses. These papers often present an ideal model for an ideal world. However, many of us face large cohorts, an industry or research context reluctant or unable to provide suitable capstone opportunities, and a general lack of resources. So, what do our courses really look like and what challenges are encountered in running a capstone project course? In trying to answer these questions, we discuss the results of an exploratory global survey of computing academics involved in the delivery of capstone projects which maps their experiences with, and the landscape of, contemporary computing capstone courses in practice. Key characteristics of courses are explored, including whether their capstone courses are a mandatory component of their degree, typical team size and formation, course duration, degree of industry involvement, student support mechanisms, and assessment approaches. Survey participants related several core challenges faced when delivering capstones, including student preparedness, the mismatch between industry and academic expectations, difficulty sourcing projects, and industry contribution and buy-in. These challenges influence the way in which capstones are delivered.