Capstone Symposium showcases solutions-based learning
December 9, 2010
Graduates of Camosun's Computer Systems Technology and Electronics & Computer Engineering Technology programs display their final projects Thursday, December 16, 2010, 10:30am – 1:30pm at the Comfort Hotel, 3020 Blanshard St., Victoria.
Question:
What do these things have in common?
- Smart phone-regulated remote control for household electronics: TVs, computers, lights, heaters and more—Team Home Control
- Call blocker app for smart phones, allowing users to create, manage and share a customized list of blocked phone numbers—Team SilenceWorks
- Automatic MLS listings updater for MLS users, providing realtors and other users with up-to-the-minute specs and data—Team RealtyServer Systems
- Intelligent irrigation system for precision automatic watering that saves water and plants—Team Ubiquisense
- Sheep Counter, an alarm system that uses biorhythms to wake up users at the optimal point in the sleep cycle—Team Sleep
Answer:
They are all student-designed technological solutions to real-world problems, and they will be on display at next Thursday's Capstone Symposium.
"Over the past two years, our students have acquired technical skills that industry really needs," says Ken Hartman, a computing science instructor at Camosun College. "The Capstone project matches up student teams with a client, and challenges them to invent, create or improve something that the client wants, or that industry needs. By working with a real client who has real expectations, students develop their communication, team-building, budgeting and time-management skills—the soft skills that can make a difference to a person's employability."
Like modern-day MacGyvers, the students have to analyze a problem and design a creative computing or electronic solution. But, instead of using wire and tin foil like the MacGyver of old, Camosun's students use circuits, systems and sophisticated technological know-how to develop creative and practical solutions to their Capstone projects.
In addition to completing their technology projects, the graduating students are responsible for organizing the Capstone Symposium and building the promotional website. Each student team will give a 15-minute presentation to explain what their project is about, why it is needed and how they chose to tackle it. The keynote speaker is Clayton Stark, Vice President of Engineering at Flock, an international company that specializes in web browser development.
The public is welcome to attend—admission is free, but guests are asked to pre-register online. A networking lunch will be provided.
Agenda
- 10:30am Doors open
Student teams available at display tables - 11am Keynote address
Clayton Stark, VP Engineering at Flock - 11:15am Student presentations
Team Home Control; Team SilenceWorks - 11:45am Lunch
Student teams available at display tables - 12:30pm Student presentations
Team RealtyServer; Team Sleep; Team Ubiquisense - 1:30pm Doors close
Thank you for joining us today!
Contact
Ken Hartman, Instructor,
Computer Science department, Camosun College
250–370–3982
hartmank@camosun.bc.ca
