Shrinking the Distance in Distance Learning:

Using ePortfolios to Close the Gap in Online Courses

Beth Gordon KlingnerSamantha Egan

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A familiar conversation?

“Critics say online education is really driven by a desire to spend less on teachers and buildings, especially as state and local budget crises force

deep cuts to education.”

Gabriel, Trip. "More Pupils Are Learning Online, Fueling Debate on Quality”. The New York Times. 5 April 2011. Web

• Verifying authenticity of student work

• Building a community between instructors and students, and among other students

Obstacles of the Online Classroom

How can we ensure a quality online learning experience for

students?

The Solution? ePortfolios!

What is an ePortfolio?

• online collection of work designed for an audience

• Incorporates various forms of media: files, images, videos, RSS feeds, blogs and more!

• Collect, select, reflect

• Provide a way to get to know a student’s “voice”, thus enabling the instructor to better detect plagiarism

• Reflections and artifacts give a deeper look into the student as a whole

The ePortfolio Solution

Course Goals:– To increase technological literacy in terms of

applications to the counseling profession.– To learn about emerging technologies and

the usefulness to counseling clients, as well as potential ethical and legal challenges such as privacy and identity.

– To create a technology plan for a counseling practice in the student's area of interest.

Case Study 1

Students posted their technology plans on ePortfolio as part of their final grades (20% of overall grade)

Counseling 2.0 ePortfolio Application

• An assessment of the student learning experience

• Consists of 12 chapters, one for each course• Collection of lessons learned during the

program• Reflects new knowledge as it relates to

leading/managing

Case Study 2: Homeland Security Masters Project

• Created customized template for students to post their chapters, and ultimately, their final thesis

Homeland Security ePortfolio Application

• Collect their own Artifacts to share with selected audiences – students, peers, etc.

• Allow students to learn and appreciate their background, research and/or professional practices

Why Should Faculty Develop ePortfolios

Faculty ePortfolios

Questions?