(Prepared by Janet Nepkie and Gina Solano)
Construction of an Effective ePortfolio
1. What initial or overall guidance can we give to faculty who would like to use ePortfolios for assessment of student work?
- Decide the purpose of the ePortfolio.
- Class project
- Program requirement
- Internship application
- Employment applications
- Design a rubric that includes specific criteria for what is expected in the ePortfolio. Assessment should include the way an ePortfolio should be organized, grammar and writing expectations, and other required components.
- Artifacts: Specific signature/capstone assignments
- Reflection on learning
- Additional items: Resume, micro-credentials, certifications, etc.
2. Please give an example of specific instructions to help students create an effective ePortfolio. What is the faculty member’s role in helping students to create and assess a portfolio?
3. Please give examples of artifacts a student might use in an ePortfolio to demonstrate learning accomplished in a specific field of study. Example: artifacts to show knowledge of Chemistry or American History.
- Research projects
- Lab reports
- Class presentations
- Group projects
- Technology projects
- Student-created digital projects (videos, simulations, multimedia projects)
4. How should ePortfolios be organized to demonstrate accomplishment of course SLOs.
- Artifacts should contain evidence of meeting course objectives or learning outcomes
- Artifacts can also show evidence of state or national standards that are part of the course.
- Course topics, genres, themes that connect to the SLOs.
5. Please give examples of assessment criteria that might be used for ePortfolios as part of graded assignments.
| Content | The content of hte ePortfolio is organized in a logical way following the ISTE Standards for Coaches. You need to show your and/or hyperlink your work for each ISTE Educators Standard: ~ Change Agent – 30 pts ~ Connected Learner – 30 pts ~ Collaborator – 30 pts ~ Learning Designer – 30 pts ~ Professional Learning Facilitator – 30 pts ~ Data-Driven Decision Maker – 30 pts ~ Digital Citizen Advocate – 30 pts | 210 points |
| Layout | The ePortfolio has examples of your work embedded (e.g., Adobe Spark Video) or linked in an organized and professional manner. The ePortifolio is easy to navigate and all of the links and media work. | 30 points |
| Graphics | There are photos or graphics that accompany each topic of the presentation. A headshot and short biography is included. | 10 points |
| Grammar & Punctuation | There are only 1-2 grammar of punctuation mistakes. The presentation has been proofread and is nearly error-free. | 10 points |
6. Please give specific examples of how an ePortfolio may be created to align with or to show achievement of institutional SLOs.
- Artifacts that show evidence of meeting state or national standards
- Artifacts that show evidence of meeting standards of the accrediting bodies
7. Please give advice for the creation of an ePortfolio that a student may use as part of a job application for the position of a salesperson for Netflix or as an assistant to a corporate executive.
- Please provide the specifics of the application. Some ideas could include:
- Marketing presentation
- Knowledge of the product
- Sample ad campaign
- Knowledge of the geographical area and viewing habits of the major demographic groups
8. How might a student ePortfolio be paired with a student résumé to enhance the résumé?
- The e-portfolio would be shown as a hyperlink at the top of the resume. The employer would then be able to click to view the ePortfolio.
- The link could also be emailed to the potential employer.
ePortfolio Evaluation
9. How can ePortfolios be used to demonstrate student performance over time, either over an entire semester, a year, or for an entire degree?
- As a program or department in consultation with the student, should decide which signature assignments could be included as artifacts in the ePortfolio.
- A freshman could begin an ePortfolio and continue to add and edit it throughout the academic career.
- The ePortfolio could show improvement and growth during the entire degree process.
10. Who is qualified to evaluate an ePortfolio that is part of college-level course content?
- For a course-specific ePortfolio, the instructor is qualified to create the method of evaluation and to assess the accomplishment of learning outcomes.
- For a multi-year ePortfolio, a small committee of 2-4 would be ideal to establish that departmental and program expectations have been met.
- Each course would have an identified signature assessment to add to the ePortfolio at the end of each semester.
- For student ePortfolios created during more than one semester, the department needs a system to review the ePortfolios on a regular basis.
- By the senior year, at least one review by the committee would be appropriate.
- Faculty assessment of the student ePortfolio is an important part of the student’s education. The ePortfolio assessment would be part of the faculty member’s service to the department or school. Time spent on ePortfolio assessment would be balanced with instruction and other department and faculty responsibilities.
11. How can a course-specific ePortfolio be evaluated effectively but efficiently by an instructor?
- artifacts in the ePortfolio should be assignments and projects that have already been evaluated by the instructor.
- The use of a rubric showing the evaluation criteria can streamline the grading process.
- The student should submit the ePortfolio at specified intervals throughout the course so the instructor can assess the ePortfolio development.
12. How can student ePortfolios be used to support SUNY transfer policies between academic institutions?
- Student ePortfolios created at two-year and other institutions can be used to show satisfaction of academic requirements at the receiving institution.
13. Please suggest specific steps in degree completion to make an ePortfolio part of a capstone experience.
- Choose specific artifacts that meet the requirements of the capstone experience.
14. What different types of classroom assessment can be done with student ePortfolios?
- Assessment of academic performance
- Documentation of satisfaction of academic requirements
- Showcase student’s talent, creativity, and best work
- Undergraduate or graduate research
15. What value and benefits do ePortfolios offer for students in academic disciplines in higher education and/or for student career preparation? How can those values and benefits be made evident?
- An ePortfolios provide clear evidence of student accomplishments that can be easily shared in academia or the professional world.
- Satisfying all or part of a micro-credential.
- Industries may require evidence of specific knowledge, skills, and competencies from ePortfolios when graduates apply for positions.
