Electronic Portfolios at USD
Background
Since Spring, 2006, USD has been participating with a few select universities in the International/National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research (I/NCEPR). This is an international project coordinated through the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and George Mason University. Each year a small number of institutions are selected to participate in working with other institutions to explore and document the use of electronic portfolios. In Spring, 2006 USD joined Cohort III which features teams of educators from campuses that collaborate between academic affairs and student affairon electronic portfolio development. USD's team has joined a prestigious group of institutions doing cutting edge work and research on the development and use of electronic portfolios in higher education.
The other campuses with which USD will collaborate in the cohort
include:
- Arizona State University
- California State College System
- Florida State University
- Framington State University
- IUPUI (Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis)
- Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
- Pennsylvania State University
- Seton Hall University
- Sheffield Hallam University (UK)
- University of Massachusetts
- Dartmouth University of Walverhampton (UK)
- University of Waterloo (Canada)
This project is tied into the University's Strategic Directions Initiatives as a primary feature of the Integrated Learning: First Year Experience. Our goal for electronic portfolio research and development over the next three years is to explore the benefits of electronic portfolios for student reflection on learning and the development of online identity and self-presentation. We also hope to build on our existing Student Development Transcript and create a major learning and assessment tool for USD's First Year Experience. Longer term, we hope to establish the portfolio, or transcript, as the primary tool for documenting and assessing student learning as part of a "four-year plan" for undergraduate student learning and development. The team leaders for the project are Dr. Carole Huston (Director of the Center for Educational Excellence) and Merrick Marino (Director of Student Learning Initiatives in Student Affairs).
The Committee for the I/NCEPR Project
During Spring, 2006, Provost and Vice President Julie Sullivan and Vice President Carmen Vazquez appointed the following E-Portfolio Research Committee:
