Making Connections: Using Electronic Portfolios to Deepen Learning in History: Making Connections: Using Electronic Portfolios to Deepen Learning in History Dr. Tracy Penny Light Acting Associate Director, TRACE Assistant Professor, Department of History University of Waterloo AVP-LRI Brown Bag Lunch Session July 7, 2005


Overview: Overview The UW Competency Portfolio Project ePortfolios in HIST 200 Goals Research Early conclusions about research on ePortfolios


Slide3: How can ePortfolios help students to document their competencies and make connections between their learning experiences?


History 200 – History and Film: History 200 – History and Film History and Film = Course for non-history majors in 1st to 4th year Desire to make connections for students between learning in history and other experiences Focus on critical thinking as key competency for history Research: “How do ePortfolios help students to articulate and document their competency (critical thinking) and transfer that knowledge to other contexts?”


“Doing History”: “Doing History” Historical Memory Historical Lens History (Interpretation) “Doing History” (Critical Thinking and Analysis) Marxism, feminism, post-modernism, etc. Historical events and their location in time and space – how history is remembered


“Doing History”: “Doing History” Historical Memory Historical Lens “Doing History” (Critical Thinking and Analysis) History (Interpretation) films text images music


HIST 200 – The Learning Process: HIST 200 – The Learning Process Learning to “Do” History HIST 200 Gender Race Cold War Research Outline Interpretation Sept. Dec.


Critical Thinking in HIST 200: Critical Thinking in HIST 200 Engaging students in tasks that call for reasoned judgment or assessment; OMS History Research Project Film critiques Helping them develop intellectual resources for these tasks; HRP Tutorial Feedback on Assignments/Reflections


Critical Thinking in HIST 200: Critical Thinking in HIST 200 Providing an environment in which critical thinking is valued and students are encouraged and supported in their attempts to think critically and engage in critical discussion Class small/large group discussions Reflections


Critical Thinking: Critical Thinking This is critical thinking in history…how do we get the transfer to happen, especially since research suggests that critical thinking not infused in curriculum? ePortfolios, reflection and storytelling!!


The Key to Knowledge Transfer: The Key to Knowledge Transfer Reflection - a form of mental processing - like a form of thinking – that we use to fulfill a purpose or to achieve some anticipated outcome - reflection promotes deep learning (Barrett, 2004 – based on Moon, 1999)


ePortfolios and Reflection – Telling our Stories of Learning: ePortfolios and Reflection – Telling our Stories of Learning “When we get into the habit of recording our stories, we can look at them again, attending to the meanings we build into them and attending, as well, to our strategies of narrative description.” (Schon, 1988) ePortfolios allow learners to tell their own stories


Evidence of Learning (Knowledge Transfer) : Evidence of Learning (Knowledge Transfer) Making Connections: How does HIST 200 fit with my other learning experiences? Joanna Mike


Evidence of Learning (Knowledge Transfer) : Evidence of Learning (Knowledge Transfer) Critical Thinking in History and Film “This course has helped me to understand the importance of viewing films as an interpretation of history” “After completing HIST 200, I would define critical thinking as the ability to analyze different forms of sources in order to gain useful knowledge to create a personal interpretation of the subject matter.”


Ongoing Research: Ongoing Research Student ePortfolios suggest that most students did see a connection between HIST 200 and learning in other contexts Need to track students beyond HIST 200 Evidence suggests that methods are “foreign” (ePortfolios and CT) Gap between what students expected in course and what happened (i.e. what is history?)


Conclusions: Conclusions Evidence of student learning with ePortfolios is needed! Data in particular contexts Longitudinal data to track students between contexts Collaborative Research is needed! Carnegie Foundation KML/Stanford/CSUMB (tools, evidence of learning, knowledge sharing) Stanford/University of Edinburgh (student engagement) UBC (longitudinal research – evidence of learning, learning communities) EPAC (learning communities, reflection, student motivation, digital culture, assessment)


Thank You!: Thank You! Tracy Penny Light tplight@admmail.uwaterloo.ca