Using Electronic Portfolios to Measure Student Gains from Mentored Research

Abstract

This article reports on the development and implementation of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Electronic Portfolio (ePortfolio) Project. The goal of the NSF ePortfolio Project was to develop an objective, evidence-based approach to measuring student learning as the result participating in a mentored research experience. The project developed an undergraduate research assessment instrument, the NSF Electronic Rubric, to examine student research products before and after a research experience. That tool is embedded in a learning portfolio, which was constructed to gather evidence of student skills as measured against a set of learning outcomes. The article discusses the rationale for the ePortfolio project and development of the rubric and evaluation tool.