Engineering Physics Capstone Course
EP4A06 – Design and Synthesis project
Shown here are group pictures of the
leading teams from 2012/2013
The Concept and Philosophy
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The project requires the students to utilize the skills they have acquired, and those that they
continue to acquire, during the course of the Engineering Physics Program.
All students in the program are aware and excited by the project – we stress the definition of
capstone.
Emphasis is placed upon a celebration of their achievements.
The students work in teams of three of their choosing.
Significant guidance and help is provided with regard to management of time and planning.
We have failed if students do not complete the project on time; if the students spend an
unbalanced amount of time on the project; do not feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of
the project.
The project outcomes are closely monitored using the graduate attributed model.
Organization
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One faculty lead, plus three more faculty members acting as a review committee.
Three TAs of high quality (usually former EP students who have taken the course).
Three organizational lectures at commencement; including safety instruction.
The remainder of course is spent in the project room- 3 hours compulsory every week, 8am to
10pm access is available via key card control.
On-going assessment via weekly one page reports to TAs (plus 15 minute discussion on
progress)
Each group meets with faculty review committee every two weeks and makes 15 minute
presentation followed by Q and A
The aim is to early flag problems within groups such as conflict, failing behind schedule etc.
In 2012/2013 4 such instances occurred triggering a remedial intervention by faculty lead, and
an agreed plan with the group.
The teams are required to make an interim demonstration of the working prototype in January
(key implementation to 1012/2013 course); followed by a full demonstration on Engineering
Physics Race Day in March.
Support offered
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Dedicated project room which is well-equipped (stock taking responsibility of TAs).
Each group has an assigned TA as a working point of contact.
Laboratory technicians provide logistical ad-hoc support.
Access to Engineering and Science machine shop (good working relationship with Clealand
Berwick).
Practical workshops offered to the students at beginning of course (PIC programming, soldering,
PCB design and manufacture, machine workshop etc.)
Safety instruction offered in week 1 of the course.
Assessment and timeline
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Safety quiz – 5%
proposal/initial design report -15%
weekly letters -20%
bi-weekly committee meetings -10%
interim demonstration -10%
final report -25%
performance – 15%
September 18th
October 10th
October 10th to March 5th
October 17th to Feb 26th
Jan 8th
April 11th
March 19th (Race day)
The assessment provides a balance between ultimate
performance and on-going effort
It also provides a means for ‘early warning’ of issues.
The 2012/2013 Project – “The Minesweeper”
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Teams were required to build an autonomous vehicle which could detect 3 LEDs ( each of different
colour) embedded on a grid
The vehicle was required to communicate a map of the grid to a remote laptop; indicated the position
of each LED and its colour; and then return to one of the LEDs randomly selected by colour prior to
the run.
To complete the task students were required to address the concepts of sense, feedback, adjust and
report.
Frame grab from video
posted on Engineering
facebook page
Final Grades 2012/2013
12
Frequency
10
8
6
Average = 79.5 %
The distribution of final grades
shows a higher mean than for
other courses; but this is perhaps
what we hope for from a
capstone project.
STD = 6.2
4
2
0
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
Percentage Bin
85
90
Attributes
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The capstone project is an ideal provider of information of graduate attributes.
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In 2012/2013 it was used to map (i) Design, (ii) Use of Engineering Tools, (iii) Individual and Team Work
and (iv) Sustainability
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The rubrics consisted of specific achievement on all or part of an assigned task; observation by faculty and
TAs; and self-assessment.
Able to work in a group,
taking/relinquishing a leadership role
where appropriate
Recognizes and follows and
engineering design process
25
25
20
20
15
15
10
10
5
5
0
Fails
Below
Meets
Exceeds
0
Fails
Below
Meets
Exceeds
Publicity
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We have found that the capstone project attracts great interest throughout the Engineering Physics cohort
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Teams volunteer to demonstrate their working prototypes at first year recruitment evening
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Race days are ‘festival events’ at which beverage food is served and a faculty student ‘get-together’ follows
in the evening
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We post footage of raceday on the Engineering Facebook page and selected runs on YouTube.
4A06 demo