1. The Learning Portfolio and Assessing Learning
Jon Kruithof
Learning Technologies Support
Laura Harrington
Learning Portfolio
Project Manager

2. Essays – A Common Assignment
Goals?
Talk about ways to convert an essay assignment into one that uses the strengths of the Learning Portfolio.
Demonstrate some of the tools you will use should you adopt this idea.

3. Steps To Transform Essays - Easy
Add a Dropbox in Avenue to allow submissions
Give feedback through Avenue
Allow students to take this feedback and submission back to their Learning Portfolio

4. Steps To Transform Essays - Moderate
All the easy steps, PLUS…
Have students reflect on the essay using the Learning Portfolio
Use some participation marks for this reflection

5. Steps To Transform Essays - Complex
All the moderate steps, PLUS…
Break down the essay into it’s parts
Proposal, Research, Drafts, Final Product
Use some participation marks for reflections throughout the process

6. Break Down the Essay – Part 1
Require a research pitch/introduction/proposal
Have students submit to Dropbox
Allow students to take this feedback back to their Learning Portfolio
Reflect on this process

7. Break Down the Essay – Part 2
Require an annotated bibliography
Have students submit to Dropbox or Peer Review through the Learning Portfolio
Allow students to take this feedback back to their Learning Portfolio
Reflect on this process

8. Break Down the Essay – Part 3
First Draft
Have students submit to Peer Review through the Learning Portfolio
Give marks not on content, but on the feedback peers give
Reflect on this process

9. Break Down the Essay – Part 4
Final Paper
Have students submit to Dropbox
Allow students to take this feedback back to their Learning Portfolio
Reflect on this process

10. Break Down the Essay – Part 5
Reflections illustrates thinking process
Students create Learning Portfolio Presentation that documents the trip through this essay with all components
Submit through Dropbox
Reflect on this process

11. Thanks! For more information:
avenue.mcmaster.ca/help/docs/essay_to_lp.pdf
Jon Kruithof xt OR xt