Enhancing Student Learning with eBriefcases

Dr. Newton Smith, Associate CIO Dr. Carol Burton, Assistant VC, Undergraduate Studies

Western Carolina UniversityLinda James, B2B Technologies

With Contributions by Melissa Saenger, Student

What is your most memorable and important

learning experience?

Odds are it is Not in a Class• Figuring out something on your own• Working in a group on a major project • Failing at something and understanding why• Discovering abilities you didn’t know you had• Making creative connections between

different ideas• Discovering how people really work

How Students Learn Is Changing

Social Media Creates New Ways to Learn

• Information is democratic and dynamic: Wikipedia• Easy to locate: Google• Distributed: del.icio.us• Sorted and vetted: digg• Anywhere anytime: cell phones, wireless• Amateurs can play: YouTube, Flickr• Fun to learn with friends or others: Blogger

Here is What WCU is Doing: Our QEP eBriefcase

Western Carolina University’s Quality Enhancement Plan

(QEP)

WCU’s QEP- Synthesis: A Pathway to Intentional Learning

• Develop undergraduates with a clearer purpose at the university—students who are motivated, self-directed, and active participants in their own learning.

• Provide the learner with ample opportunities to

synthesize the university experience, to integrate curricular and co-curricular experiences as the student discovers and strengthens his or her sense of purpose.

• Assist students, staff and faculty to form a conceptual whole that will integrate academics, residential-life, service and leadership, and personal and work-related goals and activities.

Focus on Student Learning• Intentional: students encouraged to form lifetime and career

goals and act on them

• Integrated: students prompted to integrate their academic and extracurricular experiences

• Continuous: students develop and retain learning objects throughout entire college career

• Engaged: students are expected work in the community and region and apply what they know

• Public: students select from their learning object to create career portfolios and targeted portfolios

Institutional Outcomes

• Problem solving skills - Complex• Effective communication• Civic engagement• Clarification of values and purpose• Integration of knowledge

How to Assess

A Briefcase Concept

• A repository of learning objects

• A place for projects• A place to collaborate

with others• A place for social and

personal records• A place to prepare and

extract formal portfolios

Students’ ebriefcase

First View is a Template They Can Customize:

The Educational eBriefcase• Students in charge • Includes blogs and wikis• Advisors prompts encourage synthesis and goal

setting• A place for career portfolio and other targeted

portfolios• Flexible and easy to use• Built on world ware technology—SharePoint

Student TasksAdvisors can assign students assignments/tasks through the e-briefcase that will appear in the Student Task block.

Calendar

• Students have a Calendar setting to use at Student’s discretion

• Students simply click: “add new event”•Fill out time and dates.

Lectures, Seminars Concerts, Exhibits

Items are fed in from the Western Carolina Website and displayed on the e-Briefcase to keep students informed.

Document LibraryIn the Document Library students can up-load documents of any kind into one location for use throughout their career.

Advisor Notes & Discussions

A place where advisors can send their advisees a note or have a discussion.

Team Site

Students can use this function for any type of group project with other students or faculty

Other Settings

Contacts

Career Assessment

Links

Portfolios

• Students have the ability to develop different types of portfolios and give permissions to view.– Career portfolio– Targeted portfolios

• After adding photos, documents, and other material the portfolio can be published and then viewed by others-much like a detailed electronic resume. – Employers

PortfoliosIntroduction

Documents Learning Experience

About Me

Built in Links

• E-briefcase is very similar to other portals that are offered by WCU with similar features. – MyCat– WebCat– Catamount Connections– Student Handbook– But they can add more

Positives from Melissa’s Perspective• Electronic resume

– Publish– Employer view

• Access from any computer• Communicate with Advisor• Connections• Build overtime

– Community Service– Work Experience– Clubs/Organization – Travel

Demo of Student’s Template

Lisa James’ eBriefcase

Demo of Advisor’s View

Peter Gibbons—Advisor

Questions?