<p> High school capstone projects are adopted so students can increase their learning capacity and be better prepared to think critically and problem solve in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. However, it was not known how educational stakeholders, including students, parents, and educators, perceived the relationship between a senior capstone project and student capacities in regards to critical thinking, inquiry, problem solving, and autonomy. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how educational stakeholders at Walter High School, including students, parents, and educators, perceived the relationship between a senior capstone project and student capacities in regards to critical thinking, inquiry, problem solving, and autonomy. Five learning theories guided the study including: Bloom’s taxonomy of learning theory, Bloom’s mastery learning theory, cognitive and affective learning theory, 21<sup> st</sup> century learning theory, and constructivist learning theory. The study’s sample and methodology consisted of interviews with 12 parents, a focus group with 10 educators, and analysis of 12 student capstone projects. Stakeholders perceived that as students applied critical thinking, inquiry, and problem solving, they also became more engaged, organized, and empowered as a result of completing the senior capstone project. In terms of student autonomy, perceptions from stakeholders indicated the capstone project made students more independent and determined; parents thought their students were better leaders.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10162020 |
| Date | 23 November 2016 |
| Creators | Henning, Judy Ann |
| Publisher | Grand Canyon University |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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