1. Introduction/Background

The biggest difference between an IRB capstone paper and an Education Scholarship paper is that you will not include information about your school, school demographics, or any information about your specific students. Instead, you will focus on your topic, keeping it short and straightforward.

 

  • Begin with a personal connection: why this topic matters to you as an educator.
  • Mention where you first encountered or studied the topic in your MSSE coursework.
  • Briefly explain why you chose to focus on this for your capstone and what

you set out to create (e.g., lessons, strategies, assessments).

 

Example starter: “I have been interested in using inquiry strategies in my classroom for several years. In MSSE 501, I was introduced to inquiry through the lens of science and engineering practices, which shaped my thinking about instruction. For my professional Capstone Paper, I chose to create resources that support inquiry-based learning, both for my own classroom and to share with other teachers.”

 

2. Conceptual Framework

This chapter grounds your project in theory and research and will be identical to the IRB capstone paper.

 

3. Instructional Strategies/Resources

  • Provide an overview of the resources you created. Organize so each resource gets a short explanation (a paragraph or two).
  • Describe the purpose of each resource, how it supports your topic, and how teachers might use it.
  • Reference the full versions of the resources, which you will include in the Appendix.
  • The number and type of resources is flexible—choose what makes sense for your topic. For example: 5E lessons; CER prompts; formative assessments.

 

4. Value: Reasoning and Reflection

  • Reflect on the process of creating your resources.
  • Describe what you learned about the topic, about teaching, and about yourself as a professional.
  • Share how your thinking or practice changed as a result of designing and developing these resources.
  • This is your space to be reflective and personal, while still professional in tone.

 

Guiding questions:

  1. What surprised you during the process?
  2. How did the resources evolve as you worked on them?
  3. In what ways are you now better prepared to use or share these strategies?

 

5. References

6. Appendices

 

 

Note: The paper outline specifics are at the direction of the Project Advisor and may include additional chapters beyond the basics listed here.