When, in the fall of 2000 the staff of STEP began exploring a method of showcasing the products of New York Medical College STEP student learning, we decided that the process was just as important as the product. We brainstormed our way into The Electronic Portfolio project for seniors as a vehicle that would be useful not only to journal our students growth but would also be something that the students themselves could continue to use in many ways.
Not only would this reflection help to martial their ideas for their college and scholarship application essays, they could also use this portfolio to continue to measure their growth after entering college and beyond. It would also be an illustrated resume that they could direct others to when it was necessary to have someone become acquainted with their work on a less superficial level.
The Electronic Portfolio has now evolved into The Capstone Project and is based on the project as designed by Kalamazoo College. We have liberally borrowed their Five Dimensions of Educational Growth because they seem to match perfectly the values that we have been teaching the students of STEP. The Class of 2005 was asked to be the first class in five years to present the Capstone Project for graduation and in 2006 we are still ironing out some creases. However, the nine seniors of 2005 bravely took on the challenge of reflection and synthesis that we believe should be essential tools in measuring their academic and intellectual accomplishments. Class of 2005 Capstone projects are here.
The four seniors of the class of 2006 also attempted the challenge, with mixed results. Students who completed their projects are published on this site. Congratulations to the students who have accepted this challenge.
