Knowledge and Experience Gained from Capstone Research

 Michael Reynolds, Verrazzano Class of 2021, completed major in Psychology and minor in Business

Conducting my capstone project has been a positive learning process. It was originally a source of a lot of stress, but now I realize that it was not as bad as I first thought. My major is Psychology and I wanted to do something in that field. My favorite course was Abnormal Psychology, which I had taken during my sophomore year. The thought of emailing a professor who I hadn’t seen in two years was very nerve wracking, and I worried that she wouldn’t remember me or would be too busy. Luckily, she readily offered her guidance and was a terrific mentor.

Although I am a Psychology major, I am very interested in technology. I am very impressed with the recent advances and growth of virtual reality. New developments in VR have even led it to be a component of therapy, which was a perfect topic for me. I gathered up previous research and began undergoing my project. Finding the sources was very stressful. The most annoying part was when I would find a seemingly perfect article and it was not accessible through the CSI Library site. Reading all of the sources was also quite time consuming, and balancing the capstone work with regular course work was a bit overwhelming. The writing part went a lot smoother, because I kept notes on the sources and arranged them all based on the designated section of my paper. I learned this technique from a classmate, which reinforced the idea that open communication with colleagues is beneficial.

I also maintained a good line of communication with my mentor. She was always ready to offer her help and made me feel comfortable asking questions. Sometimes talking to a professor can be intimidating, but a mentorship has such a different feel to it. I’m on the shy side, so being able to both approach and maintain communication with my mentor is something I’m proud of. When she offered revisions to my paper, I was happy because they were all technical (regarding APA format). I was really proud that I wrote a solid paper, content wise. Writing has never been a strong suit of mine, but I handled this capstone really well.

Despite the occasional stress along the way, I was able to combine two interests of mine and write a scholarly paper. I was able to ask for help when I needed it in order to put forth my best effort. Lastly, a skill vital to graduate pursuit in psychology, I now have more experience gathering and synthesizing established literature. This is important because I’m sure I will have to conduct or at the very least possess deep knowledge of research and research processes. I am very proud of the work I have completed during my final year at CSI and the new skills I have acquired. 

Learning the Benefits of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Education

Angelina D’Aquino, Verrazzano Class of 2021, completed major in English Education (7-12) with a concentration in Writing, with minors in Literature and ASL 

 

 

My capstone project has been a very different experience then any project I have completed in my college career. Being able to focus on a topic of my choice and work with a professor who has influenced me so much has been an incredible experience. My capstone project focuses on one of the three main aspects of the widely accepted Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and the positive affect that multiple means of expression can have on academic integrity in the classroom.

As I enter the teaching profession, and through my student teaching, I have seen the positive effects in action. By offering students choices in how they express their knowledge (multiple means of expression), students can take responsibility for their own learning. Students learn in a variety of ways, so assessing students and only allowing them to present their knowledge in one form may discourage students who struggle in that area of expression. I offer my students choices throughout every lesson I create, whether it’s being able to choose from one of two options for their Do Now, or even between options on their homework (draw a picture with a caption or write a paragraph).

Being able to do research on a topic that I am passionate about, getting helpful feedback from my mentor, and applying what I have learned with my students has taught me so much about the importance of offering that choice. Creating a healthy learning environment for my students to flourish and providing all of the necessary scaffolding that they need to succeed is my goal as a teacher. Doing this project has helped me discover new techniques in how to improve myself as a teacher, so I can be the best teacher I can be for my students. Being able to apply all I have learned has been an amazing opportunity.

"The Road Not Taken" which represents life choices.