Making Connections Community

Laura Gambino, Professor of Computer Information Systems

Sally Terrell, Professor of English

Marguerite Yawin, Associate Professor of English

Rafaele Fierro, Assistant Professor of History

George Sebastian-Coleman, Assistant Professor of English

The Tunxis ePortfolio Project is an attempt to develop a comprehensive ePortfolio system.  What started as an experiment in 2004 by several faculty members has grown into a need for a more systematic approach due to several factors including positive student response and ongoing faculty development and institutional assessment.  As of May 2009, ePortfolio has been used at the program level in Computer Information Systems, Business Office Technology, Dental Hygiene, and Early Childhood Education, and at the course level in Composition II and First Year Experience. Our initial goal was to use ePortfolio to assist students in creating a showcase portfolio for their work at the course level, in career development, and for faculty conducting program assessment. The LaGuardia Making Connections Mini Grant awarded in December 2008 gives us the opportunity to expand our ePortfolio use to the Liberal Arts and Sciences program and to its eventual institution-wide implementation.   Our goals include student and faculty buy-in, inclusion of adjuncts, and consistency in pedagogy and implementation. Also, we want to ensure a seamless integration between ePortfolio assessment efforts and existing changes to assessment growing out of our NEASC self-study.    At its core, the ePortfolio initiative reflects a commitment by faculty to rigorous teaching and learning at Tunxis Community College.

Project Goals:

1. Develop and implement a comprehensive ePortfolio system that will include the following:

• Showcase student work in meeting course, program, and gen ed abilities
• Showcase student work in meeting career objectives

2. Create a vibrant teaching and learning community using ePortfolio

3. Design a comprehensive faculty development plan centered on ePortfolio

4. Use ePortfolio as the primary tool for institutional assessment