Exemplary undergraduate ePortfolios to be shared at upcoming event

22 Apr 2014

A faculty member and an undergraduate student look at a computer screen and discuss ePortfolios. — Teggin Summers (right) and Carmiliza Riculan, an undergraduate student majoring in communication, discuss the value of ePortfolios.

An open house hosted by Active Technologies for Engaged Learning will showcase the top 12 undergraduate student ePortfolios submitted across all disciplines.

The showcase takes place on Thursday, April 24, from 1-5 p.m. at 1120 Torgersen Hall, and will begin with a keynote address from Rachel Holloway, vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs.

For decades, portfolios have been used in education as a tool for sharing and reflection. ePortfolios enliven that process by adding digital technologies to the mix, enabling video and multimedia presentations, and simplifying data collection.

ePortfolios can be customized for many diverse purposes. According to Active Technologies for Engaged Learning, ePortfolios are used in every college across the university to allow students to display their work, reflecting growth and learning over time.

The 12 ePortfolios that will be presented during the open house will include two from each of the six award categories:

Leadership;
Mentorship;
Learning;
Professional growth;
Service; and
Research.

“The process of developing an ePortfolio and curating it over time facilitates each student’s process of reflection, integration, and self-assessment; skills that can carry over into all areas of a student’s academic and professional life," said Teggin Summers, associate director of active technologies for engaged learning.

Active Technologies for Engaged Learning is administered by Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies, a unit of Information Technology, with support from the Office of the Provost.

For details on the student showcase, as well as information on award recipients from 2014 and 2013, visit the Undergraduate ePortfolio Student Showcase site.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.