Passaic County Community College conducted a soft launch of an institutional ePortfolio initiative over 18 months to gather data and assess student learning. They piloted ePortfolios in writing-intensive courses, an Early Childhood Education program, and with volunteer faculty. Assessment found that students using ePortfolios in writing courses had a 15% higher pass rate on writing exams than the general student population. Lessons learned included the need for faculty and students to see value in ePortfolios, for ongoing formative use instead of just summative assessments, and adequate training and technical support.

1. Soft Launching An Institutional ePortfolio Initiative Anita Kumar, Elizabeth Nesius, Kenneth Ronkowitz Passaic County Community CollegePaterson, New Jersey

3. Face-to-face and online courses

4. Ripple Effect & Beyond the Initiative“soft launch” 1. launching a missile in such a way that the rocket ignites outside of the launch tube to minimize the risk of damage to the launcher by maintaining a safe distance. 2. the release of a web site or project to gather data & acceptance in the marketplace or institution

5. This presentation highlights PCCC’s approach to piloting online portfolios to support student learning and assessment after18 months of an e-portfolio initiative from 3 perspectives: at the institutional level, for departmental requirements and at a course level. Electronic portfolios are frequently used to enable students to use new technologies, reflect on learning through writing and document and showcase their learningacross courses, disciplines and semesters. PCCC wanted data on use over 4+ semesters before making a decision to use portfolios with all students.

7. extension of the paper based-portfolio, but adding portability and the ability to share the portfolio

8. an online collection of reflections and digital artifacts (documents, images, blogs, resumes, multimedia, hyperlinks and contact information)

9. to demonstrate learning, skills, mastery and the development process of achievements over time

10. can be customized for a selected audience (teacher, employer, counselor, another institution…)

13. Portability after graduationLinks and information on products at pccc.libguides.com/portfolios Many Resources at electronicportfolios.org/portfolios/bookmarks.html

14. Moving Traditional Portfolios Online Elizabeth Nesius Coordinator, PCCC Writing Center English Facultyenesius@pccc.edu

15. Creative Writing Introduction to creative writing for students new to some/all creative writing Gives students a taste of 4 genres of creative writing: poetry, short story, drama, creative nonfiction Students write and revise in all 4 genres Course culminates in final portfolio presentation

16. Why Online Portfolios? Portability: students can upload from anywhere, any time Students use new technology All students have access to each other’s work without being together Used as storage space over course of semester Owned exclusively by students; gives them a sense of pride and responsibility

17. Why Online Portfolios? More time in class for writing More one-on-one attention to student writing Available throughout student college career Takes up less space than traditional portfolios Date stamps uploads (increases student accountability) Green

18. Portfolios over Multiple Courses

19. Introduction to Technology Web 2.0 Students get feet wet with basic webpage design and management Students can adapt template and other visual design elements They decide placement of artifacts, both in terms of which folders and also on the page Improves Internet navigation skills

20. Introduction to Technology Development of troubleshooting skills and independence Teaches student accountability Students learn importance of backing up work Students must be able to browse and attach documents and pictures

21. PCCC Template

22. Other Templates

23. 2 Types of Reflection Reflection on revisions Make changes to their writing Write short reflection on these changes Final portfolio and reflection Choose work that they feel best highlights their talent and skills (not grade-based) Write a reflection explaining why some work submitted and not other work

24. Student Reflections

25. Student Reflections

26. Benefits of Reflecting Promotes critical thinking: students revise work and choose what suggestions to accept and what to reject Meta-thinking: students reflect on their choices, writing a ½ page explanation of their intent and explaining why they made certain decisions Forces students to look critically at their own work and not only to make changes but also to reject some work

27. Lessons Learned Both faculty and students need to see value in eFolios in order for them to work eFolios must be in use throughout the semester, not just tacked on as a final assignment Need to be available to troubleshoot with them or have access to adequate tech support. Patience!

28. ePortfolio use in Early Childhood Education Anita Kumar ECE Faculty

30. Engage students effectively to focus on the ‘process’ of learning by:

31. Participating in their assessment (self ‑assessment)

32. Reflecting on their learning (meta-cognition)

33. Developing a plan for improvement. (Self ‑regulation)

34. Scaffold higher order, critical reflective thinking skills required for being a ‘reflective practitioner’

36. ePortfolio Artifact - reflection

37. ePortfolio Artifact – Self Regulation

39. Links the experience to the learning objective

40. Links experience to learning/theoretical frameworks and standards

41. Incorporates a criteria for assessment of activity

42. Is guided by instructors

44. ECE ePortfolio samples

45. ECE ePortfolio samples

46. ECE Assessment - Measures Measures – ePortfolio rubric and student survey of ePortfolio experience Assessment data from Rubric- Spring 2009 and Fall 2009 (N= 28) Posting of artifacts: 96% received a rating of 5 on a 5 point scale. Quality of reflections: 25% received a rating of 4, 50% received a rating of 3, and 25% received a rating of less than 3 on a 5 point scale Layout/images/text: 68% received a rating of 3 or above on a 5 point scale Writing/Mechanics: 60% received a rating of 4 on a 5 point scale

47. ECE ePortfolio Assessment Anecdotal Evidence High interest and changes were observed in the period post the grading Students were found using eFolio after the course to keep adding other relevant materials. Need for a more open-ended framework to increase student ownership

49. I enjoyed creating my ePortfolio. I am so proud of it!

50. I did not realize I learned so much in the course.

51. My tech skills improved a great deal in the process.

52. I wish we had more time.

53. Once I got going, I could not stop. I am going to keep adding to my eFolio

54. The reflection part was most difficult. It was tough for me to write in ways that made the connection to theory clear.

55. The rubric helped me evaluate myself.

56. It seemed difficult in the beginning, but you’ve got to play with it and then it comes together more easily. I feel now I have more ideas.

58. Institutional Assessment Of PORTFOLIO USE 3 semesters completed 315 eFolios for writing-intensive courses (150 for other coursework) Approx. 60% of WI portfolios have artifacts Of WRITING [COLLEGE WRITING EXAM] Passing – General Population = 61% Passing – WI Students = 76.7% Data complete for Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009 - Student/faculty surveys – May 2010

59. Institutional Lessons Faculty and students need to see value in using portfolios. (not that it is an institutional goal only) Portfolio use needs to be ongoing (formative not summative) Training & tech support needs to be in place The product needs to be customizable to the institutional needs; simple to use; consistent & stable (including new versions).

60. This presentation and additional information is available online at:http://pccc.libguides.com/portfolios

61. Soft Launching An Institutional ePortfolio Initiative Anita Kumar, Elizabeth Nesius, Kenneth Ronkowitz Passaic County Community CollegePaterson, New Jersey March 2010