Module 10: Capstone Project

Duration: 4 weeks (The Final Month) Type: Synthesis & Portfolio Project

Module Overview

This is it. The synthesis of everything you've learned.

In this final month, you will design, execute, and present a major Capstone Project. This is not just an assignment; it is a professional portfolio piece that demonstrates your mastery of archaeobytological practice. You will combine Archive (preservation) and Anvil (creation) into a cohesive work that defends digital sovereignty.

Learning Objectives

1. Synthesize skills: Combine technical, ethical, and theoretical knowledge 2. Manage a major project: Plan and execute a multi-week independent project 3. Define your practice: Articulate your unique approach to archaeobytology 4. Present to peers: Defend your work in a formal critique setting 5. Launch: Release your work into the world

Project Parameters

Your Capstone must meet the "Triple Threat" criteria:

1. It must Preserve: Involve the saving or stewardship of at-risk digital history. 2. It must Build: Include a new tool, system, or resource (not just a static archive). 3. It must Teach: Explain its own value and educate others about sovereignty.

Example Directions

The "Community Archive" Path - Preserve a specific endangered community - Build a custom access portal for them - Train community members to maintain it

The "Sovereign Tool" Path - Build a privacy-preserving social tool - Preserve the "lost" features of a dead platform - Write a manifesto/guide for its use

The "Critical History" Path - deeply research a failed platform - Preserve its remaining artifacts - Write a "post-mortem" book or documentary website

Timeline

Week 1: Proposal & Audit

- Submit formal proposal (5 pages) - Conduct feasibility audit (can you actually do this in 3 weeks?) - Get approval from instructor

Week 2: The Sprint

- Agile development / rapid preservation - Mid-point check-in (show your work in progress) - Peer troubleshooting session

Week 3: Polish & Documentation

- Finalize the artifact (code freeze / archive sealed) - Write the "Sovereignty Statement" (project philosophy) - Create presentation materials

Week 4: The Showcase

- Final Presentation: 15-minute formal presentation + Q&A - Public Launch: Publish your project (GitHub, website, etc.) - Critique: Receive feedback from guest critics (working archivists/developers)

Deliverables

1. The Artifact: The thing itself (archive, tool, website) 2. The Documentation: Technical manual + user guide 3. The Sovereignty Statement: 10-page essay situating your work in the field 4. The Presentation: Slides and recording of your defense

Assessment Rubric

- Ambition & Execution (40%): Did you aim high and hit the mark? - Theoretical Depth (20%): Does it demonstrate deep understanding of course concepts? - Preservation Quality (20%): Is the archival work sound? - Sovereignty Impact (20%): Does it actually empower people?

"You are no longer students. You are practitioners. Go forth and unearth the future."