Mid-South Instructional Technology
Conference 1999
Proposal #40

Title: Electronic Portfolios for Use in Higher Education

Name: Chris Inkster

Aud_Level: All

Length: 90 minutes

Description: Although portfolios have long been used in K-12 education as assessment tools, they have not traditionally been used in higher education. Their benefits, however, translate well for college and university students and instructors. For example, portfolios can be used in a composition course or any other course requiring extensive writing. As a culminating assignment, students can be asked to compile exemplary work that they have done over the course of the semester and to provide a self-analysis of how they have met the course objectives. The portfolio provides an additional means of assessment for the instructor and also allows the students an opportunity for self-reflection on their growth as a student û within the course itself and in the context of the whole higher education experience.

In the past, portfolios have been difficult for both instructors and students to implement. For instructors, having 75 students each turn in a bulky portfolio proves physically unwieldy, due to lack of office space. For students, locating copies of work turned in at the beginning of the semester may prove difficult. Current technology, however, addresses these problems. Students can create electronic portfolios relatively quickly and turn the portfolio in on a disk. Instructors can then take a disk back to their office and bring up the portfolios on the internet for easy viewing.

Since most students are already required to use a word processor for written assignments, the groundwork for electronic portfolios has already been set. The latest versions of popular word processors allow easy conversion from text to web pages. Easy-to-use web editing software programs allow students to create an index page for their portfolios, with hyperlinks to the work and self-assessments contained therein. Several web course software packages make this task even easier by including modules which allow students to fill out web forms and automatically create portfolios.

This presentation will address the following issues surrounding electronic portfolios:

Abstract: Portfolios highlighting students' best work for a course can be an important component of student assessment in higher education courses. But traditional portfolios can be bulky and hard to access. Today's technology, however, allows students to create web-based portfolios that can be stored on a regular computer disk. This session will focus on a rationale for using portfolios, hardware and software needs, implementation strategies, and a demonstration of web page editors to easily construct electronic portfolios.

Preferred Track: Track 3

Session Type:
Lecture/Presentation

Address:
St. Cloud State University
Centennial Hall
720 - 4th Ave So.
St.Cloud, MN 56301

Affiliation: Associate Professor, Learning Resources & Technology Services, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN

Equipment: projector for PC laptop

Email: cinkster@stcloudstate.edu

Phone: 320-255-4930

copresenters:
Bryan Miyagishima, Assistant Professor, phone: 320-255-4751, email: bmiyagishima@stcloudstate.edu

Audience: General

Fax:
320-255-4778


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