Making Connections Community

Susan Holak - Associate Provost

Louise Levine - English department/faculty

Donna Scimeca - Core Program Coordinator/faculty

The College of Staten Island implemented the use of ePortfolios at the beginning of the Fall 2009 semester.  We chose to pilot its use with a group of students who are members of a baccalaureate-ready  learning community, the Verrazano School. The students attended an English college writing course and a Core 100 course (college level civics) that sought to implement an integrated curriculum approach.  

The students will continue working together with Prof. Levine in the Spring 2010 semester in the second semester English writing course, where they will continue to add to their existing ePortfolios.  A new cohort of Verrazano School students will be introduced to ePortfolios in the Fall 2010 semester.

Assessment of the learning objectives and goals for the use of ePortfolios has begun.  The process will continue as the pool of faculty using ePortfolios begins to expand.  The use of Expo as an ePortfolio platform will also be part of the ongoing assessment.  

Heather Bader, RN, MSN Lecturer Nursing

Edith M. Ouellet, RN, MSN Lecturer Nursing

Judy Snayd, RN, MSN, CNE Professor of Nursing

Lillian Rafeldt, RN, MA, CNE Associate Professor of Nursing

Three Rivers Community College (TRCC) actively integrates ePortfolio in multiple learning situations. Over the past four years TRCC has incorporated ePortfolio into the nursing program with the goals to enhance student learning and program outcome assessment. Collaborative work with the Library, Career and Student Services Department provides deeper learning opportunities for students. As TRCC becomes part of the Connecticut Common Curriculum Nursing Program use of ePortfolio continues. The LaGuardia “Making Connections” mini-grant strengthens development of integrative pedagogy at TRCC. The new CT-CCNP curriculum has 6 core values with sub-concepts (Critical Thinking, Communication, Safe and Competent Practice, Caring, Professionalism, and Holistic Care). Required artifacts (such as simulation experiences, written assignments, information literacy reviews, nursing care plans, etc.) demonstrate student outcomes and resulting program assessment. A critical thinking / reasoning rubric will be piloted as a program assessment tool. Communication rubrics have been successfully used. Holistic rubrics representing the 6 core values will be investigated.

Specific goals of the TRCC team include: refinement of process, representative artifacts and feedback methods for the CT-CCNP curriculum core values and program outcomes.  

Other goals include: exploration by the Business and Early Childhood Departments into ePortfolio’s ability to meet the needs of student certification requirements, outcome assessment, use in program accreditation and evaluation of general education outcomes.

Presentations to the college community continue to increase awareness of integrative learning, reflection and growth in student learning.  Two models in nursing are providing frameworks for understanding as they apply to student transformation with ePortfolio and best practices in assessment and accreditation: Simulation Learning Outlining Reflective Practice by Daley and Campbell and Benners’ Model of Novice to Expert.

 Rafeldt,L.,  Bader, H., and Ouellet, E., "ePortfolio: Making Connections in Student Learning and Program Assessment"

at the Twenty-Eighth Annual International Nursing Technology Conference "Meaningful Use of Technology to Ensure Quality and Safety: Fostering Academic / Practice Partnerships"  March 19th-March 21st, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland.