The Status of Capstone Courses for Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers

Capstone courses have been recommended as a way for pre-service secondary mathematics teachers (PSMT) to connect the mathematics they learn in university to the mathematics they will teach in high schools. However, not much is known about the nature of these courses in the U.S. Through a survey of departments of mathematics and education, the study presented here explored whether such courses were offered to PSMT and, if offered, how the courses were designed. Respondents reported on alignment with CBMS guidelines, curriculum, and assessments among other course logistics. Implications include: few capstone courses align with national guidelines and vary greatly.