Making Learning Visible: EPORTFOLIOS AS A

CATALYST FOR LEARNING & CHANGE

Dr. Marc Zaldivar (marcz@vt.edu)

Active Technologies for Engaged Learning

NLI, Spring 2015

Guiding Questions

• Why ePortfolios?

• Why does ePortfolio pedagogy catalyze change?

• What might this look like in practice?

• Source material:• http://www.aacu.org/leap/hip.cfm All

things HIP• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUx

M2OOPMMw&feature=youtu.be Reflection & ePs

• https://atel.tlos.vt.edu/student-showcase/. Some really amazing students doing amazing things.

ePortfolios in academic contexts • Individual learning

portfolios

• Online resumes

• Teaching portfolios

• Course-based learning portfolios

• Programmatic assessment portfolios

• External accreditation portfolios

Assess

Share

Select Reflect

Collect

Why is ePortfolio Pedagogy relevant?

Drag picture to placeholder or click icon to add

Folio Thinking creates students who are engaged with their learning and

who seek to demonstrate that learning to relevant audiences (peers, instructors, advisors,

professional contacts)Encourage students to integrate discrete learning experiences 

Enhance students' self-understanding

Promote students' taking responsibility for their own learning

Support students in developing an intellectual identity

ePortfolios MAKE LEARNING VISIBLE

ePortfolios AS catalyst?

Three Primary Audiences

Five Tiers of Stability

Three Encompassing Qualities

Success=Change

http://c2l.mcnrc.org/

EPORTFOLIOS AS CATALYST

EPORTFOLIO AS CATALYST

ePortfolios AS catalyst?

What are high impact practices?

• George Kuh, (AACU, 2008)• First-year Seminars and Experiences• Common Intellectual Experiences• Learning Communities• Writing Intensive Courses• Collaborative Assignments and Projects• Undergraduate Research• Diversity/Global Learning• Service Learning, Community-Based Learning• Internships• Capstone Courses and Projects

• All demonstrated significantly increased engagement by students in deep learning.

What might this look like in practice?

• Students do amazing work, both in and out of the classroom…

What might this look like in practice?

• While they do this work, hopefully they learn something…

Scieneering has bridged the gap between my passion for the sciences with my desire to face the challenges of engineering… Upon coming to Virginia Tech, I initially decided to pursue studies in the Biological Sciences. However, the challenge of the engineering curriculum- especially one from the acclaimed university founded through a land-grant solely to teach engineering- beckoned my academic curiosity and as a sophomore I had every intention on switching to a degree in Chemical Engineering. However, upon taking these engineering classes I realized my true passion remained in the sciences yet still yearned to pursue engineering to perfect the characteristic method of organized problem solving that is emphasized through engineering... Through the Scieneering program, I have realized that the two disciplines, while separately are quite powerful, are a much more potent tool for innovation and research when forged together. – Michelle Tran, ePortfolio Undergraduate Showcase Winner, 2012.

What might this look like in practice?

• And while they learn, they can hopefully make that learning visible in order to gather feedback from peers, mentors, and audiences of their choosing and need…

Some questions to guide us from here

• What high impact practices do you use or plan to use in your students’ educational experiences?

• How might technologies enhance their ability to engage with the learning you desire?

• How might technologies streamline the students ability to share and get feedback from a variety of sources?

More opportunities to learn

• MORE NLI Sessions• http://www.nli.tlos.vt.edu

• Come talk with us!• Marc Zaldivar (marcz@vt.edu)