The E-Portfolio : Using Technology to Increase Student Academic and Social Development through Responsibility and Accou

1. The E-Portfolio: Using Technology to Increase Student Academic and Social Development through Responsibility and Accountability Yang Chi, IT Coordinator AnantKukreti, Principal Investigator Kristen Strominger, Program Coordinator NSF STEP Project Grant #: DUE-0756921 College of Engineering and Applied Science University of Cincinnati NSF STEP Grantees Meeting Session III-7 Friday, March 15, 2013

2. E-Portfolio Workshop Overview Part 1: Program Introduction • Background, Requirements, Need • Activity #1 Part 2: E-Portfolio Demonstration • Demo • Activity #2 Part 3: Creation of the E-Portfolio • Skills needed, system requirements, commercial comparisons, & creation • Activity #3

3. Part 1: Components of the STEP Program at UC Dr. Anant Kukreti STEP Project Director Director of Engineering Research

4. Student Feedback [video]

5. Part 1: Components of the STEP Program at UC Strategy 1 Cohort Building: • Summer Bridge, • Cohort course scheduling • Freshman supplemental collaborative learning courses

6. Part 1: Components of the STEP Program at UC Strategy 2 Networking: • Instructor reports: 2/course/semester • Advisor meetings and reports – degree program & STEP • Monthly socials • MentorNet • Community engagement program • Industry-mentoring program: Paid co-op placements • E-Portfolio

7. Part 1: Components of the STEP Program at UC Strategy 3 Pathway to Graduate School: • Summer REU Program • Academic Year (AY) REU Program • Research training seminars and workshops • Research Forum for presentations

8. Tracking Items • Contract • Reports from Instructors, Academic Advisors, STEP Advisors • Monthly Social Attendance • Community Engagement Hours • Co-op Placements • Touchpoint Essays

9. Part 1: Activity #1 • What are the student requirements for your STEP program? (5 minutes) • How does your STEP program track student progress, participation and requirement completion? (5 minutes) • What follow up takes place? (5 minutes)

10. Part 2: Introduction to the E-Portfolio Kristen Strominger STEM Program Coordinator

11. E-Portfolio Student Video • [video]

12. E-Portfolio Demonstration See outline handout • Student Demonstration • Instructor/Advisor • STEP Advisor • Program Coordinator http://www.ceas3.uc.edu/portfolio/demo

13. Part 2: Activity #2 • Group 1: Student – Harry Potter (Yang) • Group 2: STEP Advisor – Albus Dumbledore (Dr. Kukreti) • Group 3: Program Coordinator/ Manager (Kristen)

14. Part 2: Activity #2 (Continued) Complete your worksheet!  (15 minutes)

15. Part 3: Creation of the E-Portfolio Mr. Yang Chi STEP IT Coordinator E-Portfolio Creator

16. "Wait a minute, isn’t there software for this?" • Portfolio systems as a resume alternative: • Folio180, TK20*, FolioTek • Portfolio & Assessment system: • iWebFolio, LiveText • Chalk&Wire, TaskStream • Generalized platforms • Wordpress, SharePoint • BlackBoard

17. Blackboard Comparison • No electronic forms capabilities • Cannot merge file to create a portfolio • Cannot archive items by choice • Cannot assign requirements based on survey results

18. Pros of Building Your Own • So it's exactly what you want • Sometimes, you don't know what you want, so it's impossible to buy one • Add new features whenever needed. The website grows with the program. • Developer/supporter assistance is in-person at your institution • No charges for student use

19. Pros for Commercial Solutions • Sometimes, you don't know what functions you will utilize, until you try them • Have the offered features right away • Professional team v.s. one or two part-time students workers: • More robust products; some problems have already been trouble-shooted

20. Creating your own E-Portfolio • What to look for if you want to build a similar website for your institute? • A web developer: More into programming than design • Server side programming: PHP, JSP, Ruby, Python, etc. • Front-end: HTML + CSS, a little Javascript • Knows how to deploy the website to a server

21. Evolution, rather than Creation Lines of Code

22. An Evolution Story • Started as: • A website that students in the program can upload PDFs and merge them • Currently: • Multiple roles: Coordinators/STEP Advisors/Students • Various functions: Progress tracker, Attendance record, User management, Electronic forms, Online documents

23. Future of the E-Portfolio • Early warning system • Faculty notes • A portfolio page for sharing outside the university • Cross-platform: cell phone and tablet support

24. Part 3: Activity #3 Table Discussion Each group to complete a response sheet including: • What would your STEP program be looking for in an E-Portfolio? (10 minutes) • What suggestions would you have for our project? (5 minutes)

25. Student Feedback • “The list of all of the requirements enables you to be more organized.” • “The E-Portfolio makes the student the driver – whatever is required is ultimately your responsibility.” • “Viewing all I have done allows me to see how I have grown since college.” • “Having the touchpoint essays online keeps goals in line and we can see how they change.”

26. Faculty Feedback • “Easy to see all information at once.” • “More accessible information makes discussion and follow up with students easier.” • “Students take ownership of completing the requirements instead of waiting to be told.” • “Elimination of paperwork and possibility of a lost student file.”

27. Closing Remarks Takeaway points for our E-Portfolio: • Created to increase Student Ownership and Participation in the STEP program for success at the university • Created for tracking to check compliance and for early intervention • Created for student to utilize for post-graduation marketability

28. Questions?? http://www.ceas3.uc.edu/portfolio/demo • Contact information • AnantKukreti, anant.kukreti@uc.edu • Kristen Strominger, kristen.strominger@uc.edu • Yang Chi, chiyg@mail.uc.edu