1. AP Capstone™: Developing Students to
Enter the Academic Conversation

2.  Time 10:30-11:55
Yes—this took research to develop!
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Through Ableton Live’s intuitive and
easily grasped interface, students have
access to a comprehensive digital audio
workstation that encourages
experimentation with its unique, non-
linear workflow and customizability.-
Ableton.com
ONLY SHOW time 10:30-11:55 of this video (other timeframes may contain offensive
language)

3.  Research
 Chercher
• Look
 Closer look
Seek
 Look again
Let’s Take a “Closer Look”: Meaning of
Research
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4. When I Think “Research”, I See…..
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5. What about This?
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6. Connect Yourself to Research: 1 Word
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Me Research

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8.  Curious
 Passionate
 Analytical
 I WANT MORE!
• I want
• I want
• I want
Why Engage in Undergraduate Research?
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9. Volatile
Uncertain
Complex
Ambiguous
The VUCA World Demands 21st Century Skills
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10. In This VUCA World
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11. We Need to Upskill
The illiterate of the
21st century will not be
those who can’t read
but those who can’t
learn, unlearn, and
relearn- Alvin Toffler

12. Knowledge Transmission
Knowledge Creation
Problem Solving
Problem Finding
Data Analyzing
Data Mining
Creation/Innovation Skills Needed for the
VUCA World
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13.  3D Printing
 Robotic Vehicles (Google Car)
 Nanotech
 Recording your entire life (cloud possibilities)
 Augmented/Virtual Reality
 Quantum Computers
• A quantum computer of just 150 QuBits would have the
power of all of today’s supercomputers-Alan Aspuru-Guzik,
Harvard University
 2012 -128QuBits
Technology and Globalization is Changing
Everything
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14. Technology today can do in five minutes a decoding
task that would have taken a year to complete a
decade ago-Eric Lander, Founder, The Broad
Institute
Computers will write more than 90 percent of news
in 15 years, and will win a Pulitzer Prize within 5
years-Kristian Hammond, CTO and cofounder of
Narrative Science, a company that trains
computers to write news stories.
The future is already here –it's just not very evenly
distributed-Science-Fiction author William Gibson
quoted in The Economist
Things That Make You Say “hmm?”.
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15. Mind-Controlled Prosthetic Limb
• Who is doing the research?
• Who is collecting data on quality assurance?
Google Car
• Who is testing?
• Who is mapping?
• Who is updating?
The Drinkable Book
• Who is developing?
• Who is promoting?
The Jobs of the Future are Already Here

16.  Poster Session
• What are the skills being demonstrated (regardless of content)?
 Critical Thinking & Reasoning
 Argumentation
 Critical Reading
 Communicating Publically
 Collaboration
 Inquiry & Research
• Identifying and Refining Research Questions
• Seeking and Synthesizing Background Information
• Aligning Study Design
• Analyzing and Evaluating Findings
• Engaging with Discipline-Specific Consultants
• Peer Reviewing
• Showcasing Scholarly Work
• Defending Inquiry Outcomes
• Reflecting
• Strengthening Self- Directedness and Time Management
Demonstrating Undergraduate Research Skills
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17. AP Capstone™

18.  AP Capstone Overview
 AP Capstone: Student Perspective
Hey! We’re on YouTube
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19. AP Capstone™
-Launch Update
Emphasizes Critical Skills Needed for
College & Beyond
Complements the in-depth subject-
matter study in AP
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The AP Capstone program empowers students to:
 synthesize information from multiple perspectives
 apply skills in new situations and cross-curricular contexts
 collect and analyze information with accuracy and precision
 craft, communicate, and defend evidence-based arguments
 practice disciplined and scholarly research skills while exploring relevant topics that
appeal to their interests and curiosity.
Developed in response to feedback from Higher Education, AP Capstone launched this
fall in over 135 schools worldwide.
is an innovative program that equips students with the independent
research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills valued by colleges. The
Program is based on two new AP courses:
AP Seminar and AP Research

20. AP Capstone Program Structure
A flexible two-course sequence that engages students in rigorous college-level
curricula while promoting the critical skills needed for success in college and beyond.
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Students who earn scores of 3 or
higher in AP Seminar and AP
Research and on four additional
AP Exams of their choosing will
receive the AP Capstone
Diploma™.
Students who earn scores of 3
or higher in AP Seminar and AP
Research will receive the
AP Seminar and Research
Certificate™

21. Higher Ed Recognition
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Some of the nearly 75 colleges and universities that have endorsed AP Capstone

22. What Colleges are saying about AP Capstone
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“The AP Capstone program will help students to develop critical thinking skills that allow them to
think independently, to analyze issues from different perspectives, to communicate clearly, and
to conduct independent research. These are exactly the types of skills that they will be expected
to utilize in college and the AP Capstone program will give them a terrific head start.”
Zina L. Evans, Ph.D., Vice President for Enrollment Management and Associate Provost, University of Florida
“AP Seminar and AP Research are terrific classes that prepare students to think in non-formulaic ways.”
Stuart Schmill, Dean of Admissions, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
“At the University of Washington, we would be very interested in enrolling students who have
distinguished themselves through the AP Capstone program.”
Phillip Ballinger, Associate Vice Provost for Enrollment and Undergraduate Admissions, University of Washington

23. The Capstone Pedagogical
Framework

24.  The two courses of the AP Capstone program provide students with a
framework that allows them to develop, practice, and hone their critical
and creative thinking skills as they make connections between various
issues and their own lives.
 This recursive process allows students to go back and forth between the
processes as they encounter new information.
Question and Explore
Understand and Analyze Arguments
Evaluate Multiple Perspectives
Synthesize Ideas
Team, Transform, and Transmit
Overview of AP Capstone Pedagogical Framework
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QUEST

25. The 1st Capstone Course:
AP Seminar

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27. AP Seminar: Core Skill Areas
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Students practice, refine, and master the skills critical for academic success
Critical Thinking & Reasoning
Analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating perspectives.
• comparing and/or contrasting
• identifying patterns and trends
• explaining relationships (comparative, causal,
correlational)
Argumentation
Making a claim and developing a line of reasoning
supported by evidence.
• thesis development
• selecting evidence and attributing its use
• considering other perspectives
• drawing a conclusion
Critical Reading
Discovering ideas and information in a text.
• contextualizing
• questioning assumptions
• identifying bias and implications
• making inferences and connections
Communicating Publically
Conveying a clear message that engages and appeals to a
specific audience.
• eye contact
• vocal variety (tempo, inflection)
• movement
• appropriate visuals
Inquiry & Research
Discovering new understandings or ideas.
• identifying a problem or issue
• determining the best strategy to address the
problem or issue
• gathering evidence
• drawing and supporting a conclusion
Collaboration
Working with others to accomplish a shared task or goal
or solve a problem.
• individual role and contribution
• consensus building
• conflict resolution

28. AP Seminar Assessments
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Students’ attainment of skills are assessed using two through course performance
tasks and an End-of Course Exam
Assessment Task (Scoring Method) Weight
Team Project and Presentation
• Individual Research and Reflection (Teacher-scored; College Board validated)
• Written Team Report (Teacher-scored; College Board validated)
• Team Multimedia Presentation and Defense (Teacher-scored)
25%
Individual Research-Based Essay and Presentation
• Individual Written Argument (Teacher-scored; College Board validated)
• Individual Multimedia Presentation (Teacher-scored)
• Oral Defense (Teacher-scored)
35%
End-of-Course Exam (College Board scored)
• Analyze an argument
• Compare the effectiveness of two arguments
• Construct an evidence-based argument
40%

29. The 2nd Capstone Course:
AP Research

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31. Assessment Task (Scoring Method) Weight
Academic Paper (Teacher-scored; College Board validated)
(4,000 - 5,000 words)
75%
Presentation; 15-20 mins. (Teacher-scored)
(Optional performance/exhibit shown prior to presentation)
and
Oral Defense of Research and Presentation
(3-4 questions from a panel of three evaluators, one of whom is the AP Research
teacher)
25%
 Design, plan and conduct a year-long research-based investigation on a topic of
individual interest in any discipline
 Demonstrate the ability to apply scholarly understanding to real-world problems and
issues
 Learn and apply research methodologies and employing ethical research practices
 Access, analyze, and synthesize information to build, present, and defend an argument
AP Research – Beginning in fall 2015
AP Research builds upon the skills acquired in AP Seminar and allows students to:
31AP Seminar is a prerequisite to AP Research.

32. AP Research: Core Skill Areas
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Students practice, refine, and master the skills critical for academic success
Identifying and Refining Research Questions
Narrowing a scope of interest into a
research question to serve as the foundation of a long-
term investigation or inquiry.
Seeking and Synthesizing Background Information
Becoming familiar with and synthesizing what others
have discovered about the topic so that the scholar can
verify the existence of a problem or gap in the
knowledge base to form the basis of a long-term
investigation.
Aligning Study Design
Identifying an aligned, feasible research or inquiry
design to accomplish the purpose of the research
question and/or project goal while taking into
consideration time constraints, availability of resources,
participant accessibility, and paperwork due to ethics
guidelines.
Analyzing and Evaluating Findings
Interpreting the significance of the findings, results, or
product and exploring connections
to the original research question and project goal.
Engaging with Discipline-Specific Consultants
Communicating with experts in the discipline or field of
study to obtain guidance and feedback on one’s research
question, study purpose, interpretation of findings, or
extended piece of scholarly work.
Peer Review
Providing and receiving timely, constructive feedback
according to a set of guidelines in order to improve one’s
critical eye and scholarly work

33. AP Research: Core Skill Areas
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Students practice, refine, and master the skills critical for academic success
Showcasing Scholarly Work
Conveying a clear message in a way that engages and
appeals to a specific audience.
Defending Inquiry Outcomes
Demonstrating the significance of one’s research by
explaining the research process, findings, conclusions,
and reflections to those in attendance.
Reflecting
Making learning goals, assessing one’s achievement
toward such goals, and identifying both challenges that
hindered and effective strategies that helped one
achieve the goals.
Strengthening Self- Directedness and Time Management
Personally identifying tasks, setting deadlines, and
holding oneself accountable to achieve a learning goal or
create a scholarly product.

34. Elements of the Academic Paper
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35.  15–20 minute presentation
 Defense with three or four questions posed by the panel. Three of
these questions must be chosen from the oral defense question list
(one from each category), which is provided to students in advance:
• student’s research or inquiry process,
• student’s depth of understanding,
• Student’s reflection throughout the inquiry process as evidenced in his or her
process and reflection portfolio (PREP).
 The fourth question and any follow-up questions are at the
discretion of the panel.
 Students’ responses to each question should be brief and concise (no
more than a few minutes).
Required Components of the Presentation and Oral
Defense
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36.  The PREP document should address all five big ideas in the
curriculum framework (QUEST), with specific attention paid to the
following:
• Choice of the research question and interest in the subject matter
• Research process, including resources (documents, people, multimedia);
analysis of evidence; directions in which the inquiry or project seems to
lead; changes to initial assumptions
• Ways in which students have worked both on their own and as part of a
larger community
• Challenges and solutions
 The PREP is a curricular requirement used to guide the inquiry
process and not formally assessed by College Board
The Process and Reflection Portfolio (PREP)
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The primary purpose is to document students’ development as they investigate their
research questions, thereby providing evidence that students have demonstrated a
sustained effort during the entire inquiry process.

37. Bridging AP Seminar to AP Research to
Undergraduate Research
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Undergraduate Research
and Beyond
End of AP Seminar End of AP Research
• Can you see yourself standing in the shoes of an
undergraduate research at the college level?
• Why or why not?

38. There are things we know we know, things we
know we don’t know, things we don’t know
that we don’t know-Paraphrased from
Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld,
February, 2002
Be a Researcher, Be an Explorer, Survive in the
VUCA world!
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