Presentation at 2019 D2L Connection at Normandale CC on April 5, 2019 Using the D2L ePortfolio Tool as a High Impact Practice- Kelly LaVenture, Bemidji State University and Katie Subra Winona State University

1. Using the ePortfolio Tool as a
High Impact Practice
Katie Subra
Director English Language
Program
Kelly La Venture
Assistant Professor & Director
Marketing Assistance and
Research Solutions

2. Following this Session, You will be able to:
1. Explain ePortfolios (ePs) in the context of High-Impact Practices
2. Describe possible uses and benefits for using an electronic portfolio
in general
3. Share ideas for how you might incorporate D2L’s eP tool in your
own course
4. Identify eP in D2L and describe basic functions of how the D2L eP
tool works

3. Minnesota State is committed to supporting and encouraging the
exploration of American Association of Colleges and Universities
(AAC&U) identified High-Impact Practices (HIPS) to help advance the
strategic system priority to close the opportunity gap.
The ePortfolio Community of Practice is one development project to
enhance student learning and success and close the opportunity gap
through high-impact practices.

4. ePortfolio Community of Practice
With Minnesota State’s move to D2L’s cloud service in June 2018,
D2L’s ePortfolio is available to all Minnesota State faculty (and staff) as a
natural part of the learning environment. This tool allows students to
present a collection of their work which can be used for a wide variety of
reasons: to demonstrate learning, to put together a sample of work for an
application, or to demonstrate achievements to a potential employer.
This program was designed to allow faculty time and space to explore how
to use the D2L ePortfolio tool to examine how an electronic folio can
facilitate high impact teaching practices to support student learning and/or
assessment.

5. ePortfolio Community of Practice
Scott Gunderson-Dakota County Technical College
Gretchen Flaherty-Lake Superior College
Cynthia Bunting-Anoka Ramsey Community College
Haley Lasche-North Hennepin Community College
Kerry Johnson-Metropolitan State University
Carol Lacey-Metropolitan State University
Kelly La Venture-Bemidji State University
Linette Manier-Normandale Community College
Peggy Rogers-Northland Community and Technical
Justin Rudnick-Minnesota State University, Mankato
Debra Schnell-Riverland Community College
Katie Subra-Winona State University
Gerald Toland-SW Minnesota State University
Lesley Blicker
System Office/Facilitator

6. ePortfolio Community of Practice
A year-long program in which cohort members:
engaged in live presentations with faculty from all over the U.S. who showcased
their knowledge and use cases of ePortfolio
participated in D2L eP training together and continue to ask questions and
support each other as they implement eP
attended 11 meetings to date to share research, design elements, and
implementation
utilize the discussion tool in D2L to support each other

7. ePortfolio: A High-Impact Educational Practice
ePortfolios are the latest addition to AAC&U’s list of high-impact educational
practices, and higher education has developed a range of ways to implement
them for teaching and learning, programmatic assessment, and career
development.
ePortfolios enable students to electronically collect their work over time,
reflect upon their personal and academic growth, and then share selected
items with others, such as professors, advisors, and potential employers.
Because collection over time is a key element of the ePortfolio process,
employing ePortfolios in collaboration with other high-impact practices
provides opportunities for students to make connections between various
educational experiences (Kuh, G. 2008 for AAC&U).

8. ePortfolio: A High-Impact Educational Practice
ePortfolios are one high-impact educational practice that have “been
widely tested and shown to be beneficial for college students from
many backgrounds, especially historically underserved students, who
often do not have equitable access to high-impact learning” (AAC&U,
2019).
“Educational research suggests that the high-impact
practices…increase rates of student retention and student
engagement” (AAC&U, 2019).

9. Why Use ePortfolio
The American Association of Colleges and Universities recent paper
titled It Takes More than a Major: Employer Priorities for College
Learning and Student Success states that
“more than 4 in 5 employers say an electronic portfolio would be
useful to them in ensuring the job applicants have the knowledge and
skills they need to succeed in their company or organization.”

10. Uses of ePortfolio
Showcase/Professional ePortfolio — These ePs are primarily a way to demonstrate
(showcase) the highlights of a student’s academic career.
Learning ePortfolio — These ePs are typically created by a student as part of a
course as a way to demonstrate learning and the learning process. These portfolios
are often shared with other students to elicit peer feedback. Learning portfolios
support the idea of formative feedback as an essential part of the learning process.
Assessment/General Education ePortfolio — The use of ePs can play a substantive
role in the assessment of competencies. Using both formative and summative
assessments feedback can be provided to colleges, departments and instructors on
the quality of evidence students use in their ePs to demonstrate specific
competencies (Clemson University).

11. Benefits of Using ePortfolio
ePortfolios can provide a means for assessment based on evidence of an individual’s
growth over time and effort- not a list of test scores.
Evaluating the learner’s work using a variety of artifacts – graphics, pictures, multimedia,
stories, journals, or projects – provides a view into the individual’s mind and capabilities
as well as the teaching and learning environment.
The collection of work provides a powerful and comprehensive digital resumé of the
multiple intelligences of an individual, as a linguist, an artist, a scientist, a mathematician,
an athlete, a reflective learner, a self learner, or a cooperative learner.
A longitudinal view of a learner’s work paints a picture of growth, progress, and
continuity over time that the learner can collect, select, and reflect upon to present a
profile of accomplishment based on evidence (Boston University).

12. Benefits of Using ePortfolio
Students generally use e-portfolios to collect their work, reflect upon
strengths and weaknesses, and strive to improve.
Equally beneficial are the data that faculty, departments, and institutions
derive when they assess the work in portfolios, reflect upon it in curricular
contexts, and use the data and reflections to plan for improvement.
E-portfolios provide a rich resource for both students and faculty to learn
about achievement of important outcomes over time, make connections
among disparate parts of the curriculum, gain insights leading to
improvement, and develop identities as learners or as facilitators of
learning (Miller & Morgaine, 2009).

13. Ideas to Incorporate ePortfolio
Marketing Management at
Bemidji State University
Showcase/Professional ePortfolio
A way to demonstrate (showcase)
the highlights of a student’s
academic career
English Language Programs at
Winona State University
ESL Portfolio Development
Workshop
A way to demonstrate
(showcase) students' English
proficiency and academic
readiness as they prepare to
matriculate into degree-seeking
programs at WSU

14. ELP Example
https://winona.learn.minnstate.edu/d2l/home/4507852
English Language Programs at
Winona State University
• International students with 2
years of EFL practice
• Ss fall short of English proficiency
requirement for admission to
WSU or choose study ESL only
• Complete courses in
Speaking/Listening, Reading,
Writing, Integrated Skills, and
new 1-hour Portfolio workshop
• Complete cultural and academic
immersion activities as well
Student Objectives
• Utilize D2L interface
• Develop metacognitive skills for
reflection on English rhetorical,
vocabulary, and grammatical skills
• Build a collection of artifacts to
showcase accomplishments in
academic and cultural literacy

15. ELP Example
https://winona.learn.minnstate.edu/d2l/home/4507852

16. ELP Example Assessment
https://winona.learn.minnstate.edu/d2l/home/4507852
ELP ePortfolio Competencies
1.Academic Skills – 18 points
a) Personal Learning Styles
b) Short and Long-term Goals
c) Academic Vocabulary Development
d) Using Infographics
e) Academic Integrity
f) Group Work
2.Integrated Skills – 9 points
a) Academic Success Plan
b) Multiple Intelligences
c) Literacy Theme Capstone
3.Writing – 6 points
a) Multi-Draft Writing Example 1
b) Multi-Draft Writing Example 2
4. Reading – 6 points
a) Reading Summary – Fiction or Popular Media
b) Reading Summary – Non-fiction or Textbook
5. Speaking and Listening – 9 points
a) Presentation Visual
b) Social Work Group Meetings
c) Speech Recording
6. Campus Involvement – 9 points
a) Socializing with non-ELP students
b) Out of class learning
c) Community engagement
+ Points for organization and reflective summaries
+ Separate rubrics for peer and campus presentations

17. How the D2L ePortfolio Tool Works
• Students create an ePortfolio template through Brightspace tool
• The same ePortfolio will be accessible from any registered class page
• Students add "artifacts" (i.e. files, images, reflections, links, more)
• Students create an organizational structure using "Pages" and
"Components" (Components are artifacts)
• Students can share ePortfolio with a specific Minnstate member or a
sharing group if one is set up by instructor or system administrator
Let's look at the tool together:
https://winona.learn.minnstate.edu/d2l/home/4507852

18. Useful Links
AACU's examples, assessments, and field guide
https://www.aacu.org/eportfolios
WSU Knowledge Base
https://learn.winona.edu/EPortfolio
D2L Resource Center
https://elearn.memphis.edu/shared/Documentation/10.5/Instructor/Instructor
_documentation/D2L%2010.5.5%20for%20Instructors/en/ePortfolio.html

19. Take Aways
1. Explain ePortfolios (ePs) in the context of High-Impact Practices
2. Describe possible uses and benefits for using an electronic portfolio
in general
3. Share ideas for how you might incorporate D2L’s eP tool in your
own course
4. Identify eP in D2L and describe basic functions of how the D2L eP
tool works

20. Contact Us
Katie Subra – ksubra@winona.edu
Kelly La Venture – Klaventure@bemidjistate.edu