Catherine Buyarski, University College, IUPUI Susan Kahn, Institutional Effectiveness & ePortfolio Initiative, IUPUI Association of American Colleges and Universities Annual Meeting January 23, 2013 Giving Students a Compass: Seeking a Conceptual Model for a Developmental ePortfolio

Electronic Personal Development Plan A reflective plan that students develop as an ePortfolio in the FYS and revise and update as they progress through their undergraduate career Becoming well established in FYS Pilots in several degree and co-curricular programs

Context of IUPUI  Partnership between IU and Purdue  Urban research university  30,000+ students --Mostly first generation, professionally oriented  20+ very diverse schools; professional schools dominate

Using ePortfolio at IUPUI  Art History (capstone)  Center for Research and Learning (undergrad research)  Center for Service and Learning (service learning)  English (capstone)  International Affairs (study abroad)  Library and Information Science (MLS)  Medicine (LHSI, MD)  Museum Studies (MA)  Nursing (All)  Philanthropy (BA)  Physical Therapy (DPT)  Psychology (advising, capstone)  Public Health (MPH)  Social Work (BSW)  Spanish (capstone)

ePDP Initiated by faculty teaching FYS to increase student commitment to graduating Connect to Learning grant to pilot continued development in several programs Now additional pilots, discussion of adoption in new General Education program

ePDP across the curriculum To deepen student learning To maintain engagement, commitment, and sense of agency about their education To integrate and document learning experiences

Conceptual model To articulate more clearly why we’re asking students to create ePDP To gain student, faculty, advisor buy-in To guide development beyond the FYS To guide assessment To prioritize technology needs/development

Committee Representatives from:  Campus ePortfolio  Student Life  Academic Schools: Nursing, Engineering, Liberal Arts  Psychology  First Year Seminars  Student Success Programs  Program Assessment and Evaluation Many members wore more than one hat Not all had direct experience with the ePDP

Process for Developing the Model  Completed literature review on variety of topics and from diverse fields of study  Focused on key concepts and identified five seminal readings  Semi-structured discussion around the readings during which key concepts emerged; met every three weeks for four months  Developed a summary of key points about five months into the process  Established basics of the model after about nine months of discussion  Currently assigned committee members to delve deeper into key concepts to make sure they are represented and applied in the most relevant manner

Literature Reviewed  Self-Authorship  Reflection  Hope Theory  Making-Making  ePortfolios  Student Development (cognitive and affective)  Identity Development  Life-long and Life-wide Learning  Integrative Learning

Self-Authorship Self-authorship is “the capacity to define one’s beliefs, identity, and social relations” (Baxter Magolda, 2001) Three elements of self-authorship (Baxter Magolda, 2008) –Trusting the internal voice –Building an internal foundation –Securing internal commitments

Learning Partnerships (Baxter Magolda & King, 2004) Conditions that promote self-authorship Support Validate learners’ capacity to know Situate learning in the learner’s experience Define learning as mutually constructing meaning Challenge Portray knowledge as complex and socially constructed Self is central to the construction of knowledge Share authority and expertise

Hope Theory “Hope is a positive motivational state that is based on an interactively derived sense of successful (a) agency (goal-directed energy), and (b) pathways (planning to meet goals).” Snyder, Irving, & Anderson, 1991, p. 287

Some Initial Thoughts Portfolios can start as one thing as evolve into something else (start as development and end with evidence/assessment) Initial evidence provided in first-year is foundation for future evidence ePDP is an intervention that can facilitate “development” ePDP facilitates meaning making about experience, life and self

Overall ePDP has two primary functions –Recording of disruptions, “ah ha” moments, challenges accomplishments, key learning experiences –Development of meaning and a sense of place in self, life and the college experience

Discussion  Have we missed any key bodies of knowledge or concepts?  Are there components that should have more or less emphasis in the model?  Have you developed (or are you developing) a conceptual model for ePortfolios on your campus?

Contact us: Cathy Buyarski: Susan Kahn: IUPUI ePortfolio web site: academicaffairs.iupui.edu/plans/ePort/ ePDP web site: pdp.uc.iupui.edu/Home