ePortfolios on Blackboard Learn

The NSU Dean’s Council recently composed “Academic Prioritization Summary,” a document that “categorizes academic programs based upon self-study data collected over the past 18 months” (Provost Martin Tadlock).

One of the imperatives listed on the summary states that “[a]ll major programs will develop/define measurable learning outcomes (and in all graduate programs) and all graduates will be assessed on those learning outcomes prior to graduation (major field exams, performance assessment capstones, portfolios, licensure exams/tests, etc.). ” Additionally, NSU “will move towards electronic portfolio requirement for all NSU students over the next 3 years.”

The transition will actually be easier than one might think (sounds fun, actually ;-), as one of the features that will be available when Blackboard 9.1 is installed at NSU this coming Fall is a built-in ePortfolio system. Below are a few screen shots from Bb 9.0. Click on the images for a closer view.

The Tools Page – Portfolios Homepage is located top of right-hand column:

Here’s the result of clicking on that “Portfolios Homepage” – where students can “[c]reate and manage personal Portfolios and Artifacts”:

And after clicking on the “My Portfolios” link, located top left –

Result of clicking on the “Create Personal Portfolio” tab, located top left:

Click on the Style tab to personalize – including layout, background color and optional insertion of an image:

The future looks promising :-)

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Something Not Very Funny is Happening to My Blogroll

 

Yes, I did add Occam’s Razor to the Media Roll. No, I did not intend to add it four times – nor did I intend to add the abbreviated Occam’s to the (previously unused) Blogroll.

Yes, I have every intention of removing the FIVE extra links. However, at least at present, none of the six are showing up on my blog management page – so I can not delete them.

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New Header

In addition to a more readable format and the ability to add and edit widgets, I chose the current template because the default header could be replaced with a photo file of one’s own choosing. The panorama I chose to upload was taken early this July in the high desert mountains of New Mexico. The amount of precipitation that has fallen there over the past several months has served to transform this normally arid environment to one of exceptional verdure. 

I dare not name the peak on such a public forum, as I selfishly want to keep one of my favorite hiking spots as pristine as possible for as long as possible. However, I will divulge the identity of the photographer: he is my uncle and favorite hiking partner, who—despite the fact that he recently celebrated his seventieth birthday—continues to climb both up and down mountains as if he were part mountain goat. In this, and many other respects, I consider him both mentor and role model.

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New Template

As much as I enjoyed the simplicity of the Hemingway template, I decided to switch to Chaotic Soul. The primary reason for doing so was because Hemingway did not permit changing the font size on the homepage or adding widgets to the sidebar (or anywhere for that matter).

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