Choosing ePortfolios in Nursing and Allied Health: Why? and What We Have learned!

1. Choosing ePortfolios in Nursing and Allied Health:Why?and What We Have learned! Lillian Rafeldt, Ellen Freeman and Nancy Scrivano Three Rivers CC Department of Nursing Diana Himmel, Tunxis CC Department of Dental Hygiene

2. ePortfolio at Tunxis

3. Tunxis Community College ePortfolios • Initiated as a result of need for outcome assessments • TCC received Title III grant • Allied Health chosen as one of first areas to become involved • ePortfolio only one part of the project • Davis grant also supported some of the project • Students workers and flash drives for all students who participated in ePortfolio

4. How it worked • Dental Hygiene department received one 3-credit release to work on ePortfolio • Two faculty decided to share the work although only one had the release • Met with Title III coordinator and other departments involved • Diane Goldsmith ran several workshops • Developed short range and long range goals for the department and ePortfolio

5. First Semester Work • Each faculty worked at least 3 hours per week on the project • Many kinks to work out with CTDLC • (Working nicely now!) • Developed project and rubric for case study

6. Second Semester • Up and running! • Problems with radiographic scanner – had to be ordered through Title III • Needed scanner and printer for clinic • Title III • Most students able to upload information easily, others had help from lab assistants • For many students, self reflection was a new learning strategy

7. Program Changes • New Curriculum • Perfect time to add Capstone Experience • 1 Credit, fourth semester course utilizing ePortfolio • Students demonstrate all Gen Ed and Program outcomes • Case studies, community health research projects, resumes, research paper, possible video taping of client education or nutritional counseling • Evaluated by interdepartmental team • To be implemented next year • Can be used to showcase work to other educational institutional or to future employers

8. DH III ePortfolio Link Jen Zabel's ePortfolio Link

9. To ePortfolio or Not The Three Rivers Story • Our Dean of Academics, Dean of Information Technology and Director of Nursing saw this as a pilot to prepare for enhanced learning, future outcome assessment and growth of the college • Nursing was chosen for progressive and complete course / program integration • Davis Grant facilitated development and implementation • Change requires time, enthusiasm, reflection, revisions and perseverance • Planned time line incorporated assignments within each course

10. From N108 to N228 prescribed content • N108 • Assignment related to career choice, information literacy related to the yearly college theme of the year, technological literacy • N115 • Reason for choosing nursing, Information Literacy Search, CDF, Nutrition Assessment, Process Recording • N116 • CDF, Process Recording, Information Literacy Search, Case Presentations

11. ePortfolio contents continued • N226 • Nursing Care plans, Nutrition Paper, Process Recording • N227 • Nursing Care plans, Process Recording • N228 • Resume, Term paper related to a professional issue in nursing or history of nursing

17. Would you like to combine current tools & ePortfolio? • In using ePortfolio as a collection, reflection and presentation tool….. • Assignments are refined • Active learning is facilitated • Artifacts can be collected for outcome measurements • Students develop their abilities • What is the process of developing a project utilizing ePortfolio?

18. Nursing Project • Purpose • To develop critical thinking skills • To enhance knowledge related to course content • Provide for independent student development • Provide for collaborative approach to learning • To provide an organized approach to data collection *Guidelines and Case Study are included in handouts

19. Independent Responsibility • Search for appropriate literature • Review and analyze relative literature • Active participant in group activities • Develop an APA formatted bibliography Document all related information in ePortfolio and add updates as the project progresses

20. Collaborative Responsibilities • Students meet to discuss strategies for project presentation • Project is developed and tasks assigned to each member • Develop a comprehensive literature review • Methods of presentation • Video development • Role playing • Games • Speakers and Handouts, etc

21. ePortfolio • Group presentation will be disseminated electronically to all group members so they have access during development and if needed at a future date • Videos could be linked in • Comprehensive bibliography • Games • Power Points • Handouts • Etc.

22. Grading By Rubric • Two Rubrics • One for independent work • See Rubric Handout for Individual Literacy Search for Case Studies • One for group project

23. Individual Rubric

24. Expected Outcomes • See progression of the project at both individual and group level • Student will have access post graduation to developed materials • Provide students with the ability to spiral their learning • Faculty ability to assess collaboration and cohesiveness of the group

25. Tips for future development • Required assignments are beneficial • But need to foster creative thinking too…. • Consider how to incorporate into a course; grades • Build an environment which fosters creation, reflection and presentation