eFolio Minnesota: A Statewide Electronic Portfolio Infrastructure

1. Mission Impossible eFolio Minnesota: A Statewide Electronic Portfolio Infrastructure Paul Wasko – eFolio Minnesota Director Tiffni Deeb, Manager – Century College Jim Deacon, Manager – Inver Hills Community College AACC 2004 X

2. The challenge!! • Design and implement an electronic portfolio that would support: • Students • Educators • Workers/professionals

3. The result!!! • eFolio MinnesotaTM was launched in August of 2002 and is available to all: • Minnesota residents • Minnesota students • Public employees within the state • At no cost!

4. Today…… • As of April 1st there are over 15,400 registered users which represents a growth of over 600% since January of 2003. • In March 2004 there were over 2 million hits with over 42,000 visitors to the sites.

5. The eFolio Minnesota journey.. …. getting there can be half the fun.

6. Laying the foundation…starting off on the right foot • Funding for this effort came through a FIPSE administered Congressional Award that was intended to ramp up e-learning efforts within the Minnesota State College and University system (MnSCU). • By all definitions eFolio Minnesota has been deemed a “success”. Some the key reasons for this success involved how the project was initially structured: • Project teams • Assumptions • Key partners

7. Project teams • Three teams were established: student, educator, and worker. In addition, there was a design committee that met briefly on design/layout aspects of the project. • Teams chaired by individuals knowledgeable in their fields. • Each team was allowed to create their own “culture” with the worker team focusing on how this could be a multi-media resume, the educator team looked at how this effort should support professional development, and the student team focused on a students use of this tool within a classroom or learning setting.

8. Assumptions…CRITICAL • Assume the value of portfolios within an education and workforce setting. • One size does NOT fit all – personal customization key. • Owned by the individual and not by the institution - learner driven. • Need to accommodate reflections for a lifetime worth of learning and work. • “Word processor” technology literacy for users.

9. More assumptions • “Nothing but net!” Everything should be web based. • “KISS – keep it simple stupid” If a simple alternative presents itself - take it! • Accommodate our multi-media world. • Provide for help tools and templates to assist users. • Provide for security mechanisms that keep the user in control. • Make it free!!

10. Key partners – ties that bind • Contractor: Avenet, LLC (www.avenet.net) was selected. Avenet offered a “buy” (as opposed to “build”) solution that provided a lifetime, in perpetuity license to their core technology. • Legal: There were a variety of legal issues the project faced beyond contracting. These included: security, terms of use, data practices, under age issues, etc. • State labor department: Help desk services are provided at no cost through the Career One Stop Service Center. • MnSCU IT staff: Have provided and continue to provide the support for server operations. • MnSCU academic staff: Tech prep and Perkins, have provided support in the form of funding and out reach.

11. Development – when rubber meets the sky. • Development work began in the late fall of 2001 and was complete for alpha testing to begin in the spring of 2002. • www.efoliominnesota.com was launched in August of 2002 and was re-launched in May 2003 after a re-design effort. • Enhancements continue to come on line as Avenet makes changes to their core code and/or additional resources become available.

12. Browser-baser user interface/site management tools Content: text, HTML, images, audio, and video Display engine Interactive tools: forms, surveys, and events An end-users view of eFolio Minnesota Public views User – portfolio owner Restricted views

13. Seeing is believing!! • Projects can look great on paper but the real measurement for a project’s success is whether it has a made a difference for the people and organizations it is intended to serve. Two great examples for eFolio Minnesota can be found at: • Century College (www.century.mnscu.edu) • Inver Hills Community College (www.inverhills.mnscu.edu)

14. Century College • College Initiative To raise awareness concerning the uses of electronic portfolios in higher education and to support students and faculty in using efolios to enhance learning • Utilize the eFolio Minnesota tool to support Century’s accreditation process and other functions of the college by creating an institutional eFolio.

15. Century College • The following courses are offered: • Creating an Electronic Portfolio • Portfolios for Educators I • Portfolios for Educators II • Kitchen & Bath, VCT, Horticulture, Nursing programs are working on incorporating eFolios into classes and programs • Offered hands on training to students, faculty, and staff • First year probationary faculty are encouraged to use eFolio Minnesota to document progress.

16. Inver Hills Community College • Urban Teacher Program had interest • Early Pilot site

17. Inver Hills Community College • Two one credit courses approved • EDU 1196 Electronic Portfolio • using the tool • EDU 1197 Electronic Portfolio • Choosing artifacts • Two courses now combined • Established INTS 1196

18. Inver Hills Community College • What we have found • Tool is easy to teach • Building the content takes the most guidance

19. What the future holds • State level • Lifecycle costs - We are exploring a number of ways to raise future revenues (e.g. selling additional disc space). • Business agreement with Avenet – Avenet is marketing eFolio around the country. • Other Minnesota efforts – The Board of Teacher and the Department of Education are both interested in how eFolio Minnesota can support their efforts. • Local level • “Adoption” by schools and workforce centers. • Local customization.

20. Thank you!!!! Paul Wasko paul.wasko@so.mnscu.edu 651-649-5956 Tiffni Deeb t.deeb@century.mnscu.edu Jim Deacon jdeacon@inverhills.edu