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ePortfolios to Show Progress:Informing Students,

the Institution, and the Community

Neal W. Topp, Ph.D. – Varner Professor of EducationUniversity of Nebraska at Omaha

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UNO Overview

For 96 years, UNO has been a part of Omaha's progress.

Committed to interaction with metropolitan area Bringing special expertise to bear on pressing social,

economic, government, business and educational issues.

Urban related issues: health care, PK-12 education (in Nebraska PK-16 initiative), crime, economic development and jobs.

15,000 undergraduate and graduate students

3myMAPP/college

Current ITS

myMAPP Projects

myMAPP/faculty

myMAPP/departmentmyMAPP/staff

myMAPP/student

Judgment

myMAPP/campus

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ePortfolio Initiative’s Importance to UNO

Accountable to multiple constituencies as befits a metropolitan institution (PK-12 and economic impact most pressing)

Accountability mandate from North Central Accreditation (AQIP)

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UNO’s Portfolio HistoryDesigned paper portfolio process for selective admission for

undergraduate teacher candidates while graduate student (1990)Abandoned tests for paper portfolio/performance assessment in 1990Researched and then delivered first paper portfolio for Ph.D. program

(1994)Published numerous articles and book on portfolio assessment (1997) Initiated portfolios for masters program in literacy education (1998)PT3 Project- Student ePortfolio (2000) College of Education used for NCATETechnology one of six strands in College of Education Strategic PlanMCC joint portfoliosUNO one of 100 most-wired campuses in nationDesigned Institutional Portfolio (2001) following new draft standards

for North CentralPilot with General Education (Fall 2004)Students designing portalAAHE Senior Fellow invitationNorth Central Assessment Think-Tank (Assessment Exchange--Performance

Assessment)AAHE National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research Cohort II

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MyMAPP/CampusMyMAPP/FacultyCOE – School CounselingCOE – Educational AdministrationCOE – Teacher CandidateGenEd – EnglishHonor’s Student Project

Current ePortfolios -- UNO

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ePortfolio Implementation

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General Tips for Success for Campus Adoption

Understand it is a process, often a SLOW processBottom up—Top downCampus-wide support from the highest levelsCampus-wide coordinationAlign to strategic plansService model – ITS restructuring & commitmentProvide solutions to existing faculty & program

needsAccreditation & accountability are key

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General Tips for Success for Departments/Programs

Start with faculty & administration (find champions)Provide solutions to existing faculty & program

needsIntegrate implementation into instructionConnect to accreditationExpect that programs should be revised and

improvedFocus on learning - modeling what we expect of

students, staff, faculty, and administrators . . continuous improvement and learning

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Example -- Department Process Outline

Early Awareness Phase Awareness PhaseDesign Phase

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Early Awareness Phase

Formal or informal or bothPlant the seed Talk about the possibilitiesGet them thinking and dreaming

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Awareness PhaseMeet with interested people (administration, faculty, staff,

students)Show examplesListen to their needsHelp them make connections (ePortfolio elements meet their needs)Suggest they discuss possibilities with colleaguesEncourage and supportMeet with entire department/programLet their champions leadEncourage them to see this as their process & productTry to get them to focus away from the technologyShow you will support themGive comfort --with your experience (you will help them find answers)Provide positive testimonials

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Design PhaseUse the guideline questionsSupport & encourageUse best methods – different for different

peopleEncourage broad participationInfluence speed of process

(prodder & brakeperson)Always analyze process

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Guideline Questions

PreplanningPlanningPolicy & ProceduresProfessional PortfolioTechnical IssuesPersonnel Consideration

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PreplanningPurpose?

growth, mastery, accreditation, program revision?Audience?

students, faculty, administration, accreditation, advisory boards, community, employers?

Alignment? strategic plan, goals, objectives, accreditation?

Timeline?Faculty experience with portfolios?Faculty experience with technology?Methods for getting faculty & student involvement?

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PlanningStandards or Competencies

(What should students be able to know or do)How many?

Artifacts?Who will decide?Who and how are they scored?

Rubrics?Reflection?Encourage active learning?Summative and/or formative?Research impact, how and by whom?

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Policy & ProceduresWho will assess artifacts?When to assess?Who will track and assess the entire portfolio?Will it be a requirement for graduation?Who will be able to view the portfolio artifacts and

what will be in the views?Who will write the student release form?

and how will it work?How will data be used?

accreditation?college portfolio? annual reports?institutional portfolio?AQIP?

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Professional Portfolio

Will it be used for job acquisition?Who decides content?Who will design the view(s)?

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Technical Issues

What is the process for the technical design?Who will be the contact with ITS?Should the portfolio begin with a pilot?How to handle the “phase in” period?How to handle transfer students?How will the portfolio relate to other portfolios?Who is the support?Is there adequate infrastructure? Is there adequate access to equipment?

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Personnel ConsiderationsWho will be the administrator champion?Who will be the faculty member champion?Who is responsible for organizing the development?Will there be a need for more support staff or

reassignment of support staff responsibilities?Will the faculty and staff need training on authentic

assessment?Will the faculty and staff need training on use of

technology?

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Plans for the FutureGeneral Education expansion in fall 2005; Speech and

Math (MCC and UNO) same standards; same artifactsPK-16 (Content Pedagogy Council) Seamless TransitionMiddle School & Professional PortfoliosStudent Portfolios (myMAPP/student) across

campus (aggregate data at myMAPP/campus)Staff Portfolios (myMAPP/staff) individualized

from myMAPP/facultyAAHE Senior Fellow/ AAHE National Coalition for

Electronic Portfolio Research Cohort IIDevelop a research plan to measure impactCenter for ePortfolio ????

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Implementing ePortfolio Workshop

October 28 & 29, 2005

Mapping Academic Performance through ePortfoliosUniversity of Nebraska at Omaha

Omaha, Nebraska

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Thank You!!

Neal Toppntopp@mail.unomaha.edu