Hello all - In desperation I am reaching out in bulk for information or ideas on building ePortfolio language into official transcripts.  In particular, does anyone know of any institutions where an acknowledgment of ePortfolio completion or exemplary development is included on students' official transcripts?  We are looking for nationally accepted language, or at least some guidance on how best to craft language for transcripts that demonstrates the additional value of this experience to employers / graduate schools but also expresses appreciation for students' assistance with our outcomes assessment measures.

We have had an ePortfolio since 2003 when our new core curriculum was implemented.  It has had two main foci:  to collect student work that can be used to individually showcase their abilities, and to collect evidence for aggregate evaluation of student learning outcomes.  As we continue to puzzle out how to fully incorporate a culture of assessment across campus, this question of ePortfolio completion and transcripts has occasionally resurfaced.  We are currently in transition with our primary student information system and this has given us an opportune moment to revisit the issue with our registrar. 

I appreciate any thoughts anyone might have to offer!

Many thanks!

Sallie E. Wormer

ePortfolio Coordinator, Carlow University

wormerse AT carlow DOT edu

With transcripts, changes to incorporate or recognize ePortfolio work will probably be incremental -- a bit this year, a refinement next year, a new format the following year, etc.  So, a first step might be to make the grades one of two data points required for certification for students to graduate, the other being the ePortfolio profile of accomplishment based on evidence presented by the student for those students required to have an ePortfolio.  If an institution formally states in the transcript that both grades and the ePortfolio profile are required for certain students for graduation, then it is also formally recognizing the ePortfolio as part of the curriculum. -- Trent Batson (3/09)

You might check out Stanford Registrar Tom Black's 2008 conference presentation on ePortfolios and transcripts at

http://epac.pbwiki.com/2008_07-AACRAO%C2%A0Technology%C2%A0Conference. -- Helen Chen (3/09)

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