Using ePortfolios to Facilitate Transfer Student Success

Abstract

Using ePortfolios to Facilitate Transfer Student Success Abstract This paper describes the use of an ePortolio to facilitate success as students transfer from a community college system to baccalaureate engineering technology programs as juniors. The ePortfolio is created as part of a transfer seminar course that meets just before and during their first semester at university. The course has three purposes: 1. Orient to the university 2. Synthesize learning from Associate of Science (AS) 3. Identify and complete any prerequisite knowledge for junior level courses. Some material may be included in the university freshman and sophomore course, but not included in associate of science courses at community college. The creation of an ePortfolio during the transfer seminar assists with the synthesis of previous learning and filling in any gaps in knowledge needed for rest of the BS plan of study. To guide the artifact selection for the ePortfolio, university faculty reviewed the state-wide core competencies and compared them to the pre-requisite knowledge required for junior level courses. The most important competencies were targeted for use in the ePortfolio. During the seminar class, students identify artifacts from their AS classes that demonstrate the competency, upload an electronic representation of the work, and write a reflection about how the artifact demonstrates their competence. The reflections are assessed by the faculty using rubrics published in the course management system. The ePortfolio tool is part of the CourseNetworking (CN) platform. CN has many advantages as an ePortfolio for this application, but the most important is that CN lets individual users own their ePortfolio for their lifetime; the site is not owned by the college or the university. Even after graduation or transferring to a new school, users may continue to access and maintain their CN ePortfolio, free of charge. This enables community college students to begin their artifact collection while taking their associate degree classes, and then complete their reflections after they transfer to the university. The use of ePortfolios and reflection on learning is an effective way to give students confidence as they begin a new program and to bridge any gaps in prerequisite knowledge.