iFolio: Electronic Portfolios at the University of Iowa
Summary: This presentation will outline how the University of Iowa is building a modular, customized electronic portfolio system to serve the diverse needs of many departments. Departments are able to choose from an array of options to best align with the students’ and departmental needs. Students are able to use the iFolio system in a way that fits their disciplinary requirements while departments can mold the system in a way that fits their programmatic goals.
Description:
The University of Iowa has a wide array of clients with diverse needs and goals. iFolio is a modular system electronic portfolio system that we believe will be able to scale to include new clients.
• The underlying technology is already in use by a major University project, making connections between the two potentially easier and increasing the number of developers with skills in that platform.
• iFolio has been designed to minimize the barriers to entry for students and departments alike. Students will find the interface to be very intuitive, and we have enlisted help from visual designers to keep the design as clean and clear as possible.
Goals:
• Students reflect on their learning
• Ensure student success within the discipline
• Align your teaching strategies with your department’s programmatic goals
• Prepare your students for grad school or future employment
Objectives: Electronic Portfolios include…
• posting artifacts in any form (written, audio, visual, etc.) to highlight academic work of the student.
• posting reflections in relation to each artifact to help the student attain more awareness of the learning strategies and ensure success within the discipline.
• an academic planning piece to help academic advisors guide students through their learning environment.
• posting community involvement, resumes, and collections of evidence and reflections of learning all may be included in portfolios.
• an ongoing learning record of a particular student’s academic learning environment.
Strategic Plan Outcomes – Our projects always tie back to our ITS Strategic Plan
• Strategy 1.1 - Promote students’ and instructors’ use of information technology to support student academic achievement.
• Strategy 1.2 – Provide methods and data for tracking student progress in integrated IT systems.
• Strategy 1.4 – Explore, evaluate and foster emerging technologies that enhance teaching and learning.
• The underlying technology is already in use by a major University project, making connections between the two potentially easier and increasing the number of developers with skills in that platform.
• iFolio has been designed to minimize the barriers to entry for students and departments alike. Students will find the interface to be very intuitive, and we have enlisted help from visual designers to keep the design as clean and clear as possible.
Goals:
• Students reflect on their learning
• Ensure student success within the discipline
• Align your teaching strategies with your department’s programmatic goals
• Prepare your students for grad school or future employment
Objectives: Electronic Portfolios include…
• posting artifacts in any form (written, audio, visual, etc.) to highlight academic work of the student.
• posting reflections in relation to each artifact to help the student attain more awareness of the learning strategies and ensure success within the discipline.
• an academic planning piece to help academic advisors guide students through their learning environment.
• posting community involvement, resumes, and collections of evidence and reflections of learning all may be included in portfolios.
• an ongoing learning record of a particular student’s academic learning environment.
Strategic Plan Outcomes – Our projects always tie back to our ITS Strategic Plan
• Strategy 1.1 - Promote students’ and instructors’ use of information technology to support student academic achievement.
• Strategy 1.2 – Provide methods and data for tracking student progress in integrated IT systems.
• Strategy 1.4 – Explore, evaluate and foster emerging technologies that enhance teaching and learning.
Annette Beck
Instructional Technology Consultant
The University of Iowa
Instructional Technology Consultant
The University of Iowa
Annette Beck is an instructional technology consultant working as project manager on personal response systems and electronic portfolios. She also does course management systems administration and is the training coordinator for Instructional Services. Annette has a BA in Graphic Communications and an MA in Instructional Technology.
Romy Bolton
The University of Iowa
The University of Iowa
The University of Iowa
The University of Iowa
Romy Bolton is a Senior Project Leader in Information Technology Services at the University of Iowa, where she leads enterprise projects in the Campus Technology Services area. Recent projects include campus migration to Exchange 2007 (e-Communication Phase 1 and 2), electronic portfolio, introduction of a mobile website and associated applications, implementation of SharePoint 2007, and leading a committee to foster ongoing leadership development across all IT professionals at the University of Iowa. Romy completed her M.B.A. in Quality, Leadership and Teams at the University of Iowa, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. In addition, Romy is certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt and has conducted several Lean Sigma events in higher education and healthcare.