(243b) Helping Students to Learn by Doing - Capstone Design Experience At Columbia University

Columbia has transformed its two-semester Capstone Design sequence from a traditional lecture-based format to one which imitates the real-world dynamics of industry.  Students meet in small groups or teams for up to one hour each week with an advisor/technical manager/coach who critiques progress, offers suggestions for improvement, and provides direction for the following week.  Student teams complete their design projects on a semi-independent basis, receiving individual guidance, but not complete answers, from their advisor.  The format also plays to the strengths of adjunct faculty, who have found it easy to adopt.  As a result, students “learn by doing” as they address three significant process or product design problems of increasing complexity. 

Projects are selected by the instructors to provide the students with sufficient hands-on exposure to several important pedagogical issues in design, such as the interaction of components within a system and the impact of constraints on optimization in design.  These projects are also chosen to reflect an awareness of broader societal issues, such as environmental relevance, green energy, and sufficient water.

Student feedback has expressed appreciation for the format, with students frequently citing Design as their favorite course.