Implementing the SPIF/ePortfolio Approach
Consulting Faculty and Students
Lessons
Learned in Implementing the ePortfolio
Two of the faculty members at a
project institution were using ePortfolios as part of their course
requirements before the ACE/FIPSE project began. These faculty members
were able to mentor other faculty in learning to implement the
ePortfolio into their curriculum.
Not all faculty members at one
project institution were comfortable working with the technology-based
ePortfolios. These faculty members might be more willing to use
ePortfolios if support and training were provided by the
institution.
Depending upon what student sample you decide to address with the
SPIF/ePortfolio approach, you may also need to consult with advisory
groups for education abroad programs, general education committees, or
department chairs. Ideally, all faculty members and administrators who
are involved with the programs or courses you are targeting would at
least be familiarized with the SPIF/ePortfolio approach, whether or not
they elect to be involved themselves. The worst case scenario is to have
faculty members taken by surprise with this type of assessment work.
Also unfortunate is to get far down a path in working with a particular
pilot program or student sample and discover intense faculty resistance
to assessment in general or to portfolios in particular.
If your team does not take the time to consult with key faculty, you
may miss out on the inclusion of positive contributors to your process.
There are likely to be faculty members who are already using
course-embedded portfolios in their courses. These faculty who have
already developed a mechanism for effectively engaging students with
ePortfolios are well positioned to get involved in an innovative
SPIF/ePortfolio approach.
It is critical to consult with students in order to ensure that the
plan that you have outlined for involving students is something that
will effectively engage them. Perhaps the most important learning
through the ACE/FIPSE project involved the assumptions about
students.
- Easy Access for Students: Access to the ePortfolio and SPIF must be
straightforward and easy for students, or they will not take the time to
complete it.
- Ease of Usage: Simple and clear instructions are important, and it
helps if completion of the ePortfolio and survey are imbedded as part of
a course or program requirement (if allowed by IRB).
- Authentic Feedback: If students do not receive any feedback on the
ePortfolio artifacts or ePortfolios as a whole, they feel less invested
in the effort and are less likely to participate.
Orienting Participants
An intentional process of consultation with administrators, faculty
and students while developing an implementation plan will develop
familiarity with the SPIF/ePortfolio approach. However, effective
implementation requires an in-depth understanding of the tools and
procedures. The team should design and systematically offer orientation
sessions for faculty and students who will be involved in completing the
SPIF/ePortfolios. Faculty may need guidance, for example, in how to best
introduce the SPIF or in how to assist students in selecting appropriate
international artifacts to include in the ePortfolio. Students may need
to be shown how the approach can assist them with better demonstrating
their achievements. Even more importantly, rater
training sessions need to be developed and delivered to those who
will be rating the ePortfolios. It is also advisable to plan for
sessions to assist stakeholders in analyzing the results and determining
how these findings can be used for purposes of improvement.
Please direct questions about this page to:
international@ace.nche.edu
This page last updated on: 09/03/2008
| International learning outcomes assessment, ACE, ePortfolios, implementing assessment |
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