Online student portfolios for demonstration of engineering graduate attributes

Engineers Australia is the Australian professional body that accredits undergraduate engineering programs. It espouses an &lsquo;outcomes-based&rsquo; program accreditation philosophy, but imposes mandatory &lsquo;process&rsquo; requirements for off-campus programs that are in addition to the requirements for conventional on-campus programs. The focus on off-campus engineering study raises the question: how can learning outcomes, regardless of mode of study, be effectively measured? The current answer appears to be &lsquo;graduate attributes&rsquo;. The literature reveals a range of sophistication in approach to graduate attributes from identifying desirable graduate attributes, through to evidence-based certification of individual student attainment of graduate attributes. Many engineering accrediting bodies around the world identify student portfolios as a strategy for demonstrating student attainment of graduate attributes. The increasing use of online technology by students and educators alike, including as part of assessment, means that many of the reported applications of student portfolios are online portfolios. The effectiveness of online student portfolios will depend on them being embedded in day-to-day educational practice, rather than being an optional extra given a low priority by busy students. This paper presents a survey of the related literature and briefly outlines a project in progress at Deakin University to trial an online student portfolio.<br /

Student-pull instead of instructor-push: in preparation for a student learning dash­board

A typical model of blending in-class learning with technology-enabled student experiences outside class makes use of a course management system (CMS), such as Blackboard. In this model, all the course management work is exclusively performed by the course instructor. Some attempts have been made to steer away from having the online content and activities be created, maintained, and monitored solely by the instructor. Discussion boards, student breakout groups, and student portfolios are examples of shifting some responsibilities to the students. However, the instructor continues to be the main arbiter of these activities, and tools that support student contributions are entirely under the control of the same, monopolistic CMS

E-Portfolios, Course Design, and Student Learning: A Case Study of a Faculty Learning Community

The purpose of this case study was to investigate faculty perceptions of participating in a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) and how the FLC contributed toward their pedagogical use of e-portfolios. The researchers were also interested in faculty perceptions of the potential impact of e-portfolios on student learning. An online survey and focus group were used to collect data for this study. Results suggest that the FLC, as a professional development experience, enabled faculty at different levels of e-portfolio adoption, to learn from their peers, become more confident instructors, reflect on course design, and plan for changes in the instructional use of e-portfolios. Faculty reported that changes in instructional design through the intentional inclusion of e-portfolios can have a positive impact on student learning. Implications for practice are discussed

e-Portfolios, Social Networking, and a LMS All in One

The presenter discusses several Online tools which can be assembled for the containment of learning management, student electronic portfolios, and networking. Implementations discussed include Epsilen\u27s Global Learning Project

e-Portfolio as reflection tool during teaching practice: The interplay between contextual and dispositional variables

This paper focuses on an e-portfolio pilot initiative at the Faculty of Education at a South African university and aims to determine whether the theoretical underpinning and expectations of an e-portfolio aligns with the current practices and attributes of students’ training during school practicum as teachers at a South African university. In the South African context, e-portfolios are increasingly being considered in teacher training programmes, to enable student teachers to reflect in, on and about practice in a structured way, whereby they demonstrate their growth and  development as professionals. A self-selected sample of 11 student teachers placed in different urban and rural school contexts were provided with tablets and data bundles. Equipped with varying digital skills, daily reflections and regular online interaction with peers and project members was expected. Data gathering was done by means of semi-structured interviews which were analysed by means of framework analysis. Results suggest that student teachers still require support in reflective writing; that the social and collaborative aspects of e-portfolio use within the given context is underdeveloped, and that the level of digital skills of students will impact the potential success of the integration of e-portfolios as reflective tools. This paper contributes to the growing interest in South African literature regarding the use of e-portfolios for teacher training, by highlighting contextual and dispositional variables as essential considerations before adopting such a learning approach as part of teacher training.Keywords: digital literacy; e-portfolio; online collaboration; reflection; student-centred learning; teacher trainin

Which Map's the Best Map for Antarctica?

With Antarctica as the focus, this weeklong unit provides an in-depth look at the attributes of different map types. Throughout the unit, students collect their findings in a portfolio. A set of teacher tools are provided, including downloadable readings, daily breakdowns of tasks, teacher strategies for using the activities, a portfolio grading sheet, and a project rubric sheet. An online activity is provided in which students study how latitude and longitude are used in map creation, the different types of map projections. A student handout with guidance for putting together their portfolios and examples of creative final projects is also available. Educational levels: High school, Middle school

The Effects of Digital Portfolios and Flipgrid on Student Engagement and Communication in a Connected Learning Secondary Visual Arts Classroom

Visual art education is advancing through digital media ( text, audio, video, and graphics) and technologies (digital devices, software, and learning platforms that offer options to each student) in ways that impact student engagement and communication. Through the practice of connected learning in a secondary art classroom environment, individual students can bring their strengths and ideas into a community of peers to create a better understanding of complex concepts that individuals could not have reached alone (Cantrill et al., 2014). The purpose of this research study was to understand what effects digital portfolios and Flipgrid have on student engagement and communication. Digital portfolios were introduced using a Google Slides format and Flipgrid as an online connected learning community. The sample study included 50 art students in total; 25 middle school students in grade six and 25 high school students in grades 10-12. Data was collected using the following tools: pre and post- assessments, teacher observation logs and reflection journals, student artifacts with scoring rubrics, and student conference questions. The study, conducted over a six week period in early 2018, contained both qualitative and quantitative data. The data sources revealed an increase in student engagement and communication with the added benefit of connected learning in the secondary art classroom. As a result of this study, researchers recommend that digital tools, such as digital portfolios and communication platforms like Flipgrid, continue to be implemented in the secondary art classroom

Exploring Digital Portfolios and their Effects on Test Scores

Many educators in the field are looking for ways to grade their students. Many of our youth can learn new concepts and attain academic growth but have difficulties in the traditional lecture-based classroom. Digital portfolio incorporation in our secondary classrooms may be a solution to engaging learners through various interactions using online learning tools, interaction with peers, and their teachers. This exploratory study investigated the current value of digital portfolios in improving academic performance in today’s classroom. Much of the trend was popular ten years ago. The research explored how current educators in the secondary school setting feel about the incorporation of digital portfolios, and if the learning tool effectively prepares their students’ subject understanding prior to an assessment. Data were collected using a research survey that obtained the responses of teachers who volunteered to be a part of this study. Three main questions were directed to educators by this study. Do e-portfolios affect student academic performance? Does the tool improve student subject-matter efficacy? Third, do technical skills have an impact on academic performance and curriculum pacing while using e-portfolios? The collected data had mixed results, with many responses to the survey questions produced data that were inconclusive regarding the effectiveness of digital portfolios. Although the study did not provide enough evidence of digital portfolios as a tool that greatly improves test scores in classes, it is sufficient to say that there is a positive direction from the scores analyzed in the one-month data-collection

E-portfolio in education. Practices and reflections

The main activities of the digiFolio Project include: Building a common knowledge base supported by research work on the theory of portfolio usage; Paper and online publication of the results of the research work; Establishment of the pedagogical model for the training course; Analysis of the existing technological infrastructures for digital portfolio usage; Adjustment of the best tools and training course setup; Piloting and evidencing of the training course; Monitoring of the trainees' work by using a specific online teachers' support structure; International seminar. Website: http://digifolioseminar.org/?The present publication addresses the use of digital portfolios in educational context and it is one of the latest dissemination activities of the Digifolio project – Digital Portfolio as a strategy for teachers’ professional development, a COMENIUS 2.1 project which was carried out between 2005 and 2008. It involved several universities and teacher training institutions from five different European countries. The project, which main focus was the reflection on the potentialities of portfolios and digital technologies in the perspective of teachers’ professional development, came to its end with an international seminar which aimed at disseminating the work produced in the frame of a previous teachers training course, as well as allowing and welcoming the contribution of other education professionals with their practices and reflections on the above-mentioned thematic.Europeen Comissio