Electronic Portfolios in Academic Advising, Self-Guided Learning, and Self-Assessment

Joshua A. Enszer; Jessica A Kuczenski; Kerry Meyers; Jay B. Brockman

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Conference: 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Vancouver, BC
Publication Date: June 26, 2011
Start Date: June 26, 2011
End Date: June 29, 2011
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Faculty Tools
Tagged Division: Computers in Education
Page Count: 18
Page Numbers: 22.549.1 - 22.549.18
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--17830
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/17830
Download Count: 753

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Paper Authors

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Joshua A. Enszer University of Notre Dame

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Joshua A. Enszer is a postdoctoral instructor and researcher for the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. He is also serving as the Interim Course Coordinator for the University's First-Year Engineering Program. His research interests in education include the use of electronic portfolios in an engineering curriculum and in engineering courses, as well as the use of serious games in engineering education.

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Jessica A Kuczenski Century College

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Kerry Meyers University of Notre Dame

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Kerry L. Meyers is an Associate Professional Faculty member in the College of Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. She received her Ph.D. in Engineering Education from Purdue University in 2009. She also has a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. She has several years of industry design experience, but has since shifted her focus to engineering education with the first-year engineering program. Contact information: phone 574-631-0972, fax 574-631-8007, or email kmeyers1@nd.edu.

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Jay B. Brockman University of Notre Dame

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Abstract

Electronic Portfolios in Academic Advising, Self-Guided Learning, and Self-AssessmentJoshua A. Enszer, Jessica A. Kuczenski, Kerry L. Meyers, Jay B. Brockman, Mark J. McCreadyOur undergraduate program strives to produce engineers who are a step ahead of their peers and havebegun to prepare themselves for more than just entry-level jobs. We have recently developed the NotreDame Electronic Portfolio (NDeP) project to help us meet this goal. With an electronic portfolio, we seekto improve the ability of our students to plan their professional and extracurricular lives with concretegoal-setting and honest self-assessment and reflection on their abilities.We hope to achieve three fundamental objectives with this project: (1) engaging students in their ownlearning, (2) creating links between different learning experiences, and (3) documenting studentachievements, which can be used by both the student and the College of Engineering for assessmentpurposes. The e-portfolio also serves as a tool to make communication between students and advisersmore efficient, and to help students formulate short- and long-term plans for their own careerdevelopment. As a portion of the academic advising experience, NDeP includes a set of surveys designedto help students consider their academic coursework, in which we also have students assess their ownprogress in the program. The surveys address the ABET accreditation criteria as well as students’individual goal-setting strategies and awareness of university-specific resources. For each criteria,students consider deliverable proof that demonstrates their current proficiency. These artifacts can beelectronically archived in their personal portfolio.In the fall of 2009, we implemented this project with a group of about 75 chemical engineeringsophomores using the Google Apps suite. Students used gDocs and gSites to collect and displayelectronic artifacts. Over the duration of the project, we received feedback for future iterations of thisproject and also began plans to expand the project to a wider group of students.In the current version of the NDeP project, we have begun work with 60 incoming chemical engineeringsophomores. These students will have completed a series of surveys during the second semester of theirfirst year as well as throughout their sophomore year, to determine the effects of the current curriculumand the NDeP project on their perceived engineering abilities.We will present here the results of the student surveys, updates to the project in its second year ofimplementation, and strategies for continuing work with our pilot group of students. Based on studentand faculty response to the project, we will also outline further improvements and expansions to theprogram.

Citation
Format

Enszer, J. A., & Kuczenski, J. A., & Meyers, K., & Brockman, J. B. (2011, June), Electronic Portfolios in Academic Advising, Self-Guided Learning, and Self-Assessment Paper presented at 2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Vancouver, BC. 10.18260/1-2--17830

TY - CPAPER
AB - Electronic Portfolios in Academic Advising, Self-Guided Learning, and Self-AssessmentJoshua A. Enszer, Jessica A. Kuczenski, Kerry L. Meyers, Jay B. Brockman, Mark J. McCreadyOur undergraduate program strives to produce engineers who are a step ahead of their peers and havebegun to prepare themselves for more than just entry-level jobs. We have recently developed the NotreDame Electronic Portfolio (NDeP) project to help us meet this goal. With an electronic portfolio, we seekto improve the ability of our students to plan their professional and extracurricular lives with concretegoal-setting and honest self-assessment and reflection on their abilities.We hope to achieve three fundamental objectives with this project: (1) engaging students in their ownlearning, (2) creating links between different learning experiences, and (3) documenting studentachievements, which can be used by both the student and the College of Engineering for assessmentpurposes. The e-portfolio also serves as a tool to make communication between students and advisersmore efficient, and to help students formulate short- and long-term plans for their own careerdevelopment. As a portion of the academic advising experience, NDeP includes a set of surveys designedto help students consider their academic coursework, in which we also have students assess their ownprogress in the program. The surveys address the ABET accreditation criteria as well as students’individual goal-setting strategies and awareness of university-specific resources. For each criteria,students consider deliverable proof that demonstrates their current proficiency. These artifacts can beelectronically archived in their personal portfolio.In the fall of 2009, we implemented this project with a group of about 75 chemical engineeringsophomores using the Google Apps suite. Students used gDocs and gSites to collect and displayelectronic artifacts. Over the duration of the project, we received feedback for future iterations of thisproject and also began plans to expand the project to a wider group of students.In the current version of the NDeP project, we have begun work with 60 incoming chemical engineeringsophomores. These students will have completed a series of surveys during the second semester of theirfirst year as well as throughout their sophomore year, to determine the effects of the current curriculumand the NDeP project on their perceived engineering abilities.We will present here the results of the student surveys, updates to the project in its second year ofimplementation, and strategies for continuing work with our pilot group of students. Based on studentand faculty response to the project, we will also outline further improvements and expansions to theprogram.
AU - Joshua A. Enszer
AU - Jessica A Kuczenski
AU - Kerry Meyers
AU - Jay B. Brockman
CY - Vancouver, BC
DA - 2011/06/26
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Electronic Portfolios in Academic Advising, Self-Guided Learning, and Self-Assessment
UR - https://strategy.asee.org/17830
DO - 10.18260/1-2--17830
ER -