The starfish analogy can be used to illustrate the five Powerful Ps further. When these are applied with steady and persistent pressure, it is easier to overcome challenges in a classroom. This analogy and framework assisted me in developing the capstone project approach for the professional master’s degree in Complementary Medicine. Just as a starfish gently and continuously uses each of its arms to keep steady pressure on the oyster shell until it eventually opens, so our students and their supervisors meet their challenges successfully by paying close attention to the five Powerful Ps (Purkey & Novak, 2015) as depicted in Figure. 1 above. Invitational theory emphasises nurturing the whole person, which aligns with the capstone project’s focus on integrating and applying knowledge in a comprehensive manner. Both approaches seek to develop academic skills and personal and professional growth. The invitational environment encourages students to engage deeply with their learning, which is crucial for the success of capstone projects. The supportive and respectful atmosphere promoted by invitational theory enhances the quality and depth of student engagement in capstone projects. Furthermore, the invitational theory’s focus on inclusivity ensures that students feel valued and capable of success. This can be particularly important in the capstone approach, where students might be challenged to work outside their comfort zones. Lastly, the capstone approach benefits from being embedded in an intentionally designed environment to foster collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. By collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, engaging with diverse stakeholders, and reflecting on their roles as future practitioners or researchers, students develop a sense of professional identity grounded in a commitment to ethical practice, social responsibility, and lifelong learning (Marin et al., 2017). In addition to this role, the capstone projects contribute to the advancement of evidence-based Figure 1: Five Ps and its related elements (Purkey et al., 2020). practice within the health sciences (Kim et al., 2019). By generating new knowledge, validating existing theories, and translating research findings into practice, students contribute to the evidence base that informs clinical decisionmaking, public health interventions, and health policy initiatives (Hedayatipour et al., 2024). The capstone project was implemented for the professional masters’ students in Complementary Medicine in 2022. Each capstone project consists of five interrelated activities connected to a research topic, completed over two years, as illustrated below in Table 2. Table 2: Outline of capstone project Series of Tasks Descriptions Activity 1 Capstone proposal Activity 2 Narrative review Activity 3 Scientific op-ed article Activity 4 Action research tasks- Part 1: Elective component Observation of laboratory work, or Development of a questionnaire, or Regulatory and compliance reviews, or Healthcare-related research enquiries Part 2: Clinical case reporting Activity 5 Portfolio compilation and oral defence. Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching Innovation Projects 2024 102
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