Syracuse University Use Case - School of Education

Supporting Files

Here are the links to our Spring 2007 matrix (which includes our forms) and portfolio templates.

A CIG Coordinator adds and publishes the following forms to a portfolio worksite.

There a just a few forms used by the School of Education portfolio.

1. Learning Artifact - This form contains four fields.
   • Artifact Page Title - this title will be the name of the learning artifact in the published portfolio.
   • Thumbnail image - this is an attached image that will be used in conjunction with the Artifact Page Title as a link in the published portfolio to the detailed description of the artifact.
   • Artifacts - A rich text area that allows the student to present evidence of his or her own learning.  It can include images and links to other resources.
   • Summary Narrative - A rich text area where students explain and analyze the group of artifacts presented, including whatever comparison, contrast or overall points they intended to make by including them on the same page.
2. Reflection on Learning - This form contains two fields 
   • Introduction - A rich text field where students enter a narrative statement or bulleted list of key components of a proficiency.
   • Reflection - A rich text field where students write a short description of how their thinking about this proficiency has changed this semester. They are prompted to explain what caused this change and relate it to the artifacts they included for this proficiency.
3. Contact Information - This form contains 9 fields
   • First Name - Text input
   • Middle Name - Text input
   • Last Name - Text input
   • Email - Text input
   • Phone Number - Text input
   • Photo Upload - An attached photo of themselves (AnyURI) 
   • Program of Study - Text input
   • Certification Areas - Text input
   • Expected Graduation Date - Text input
4. Emerging Philosophy - This form contains one field
   • A single rich text area for entering their overarching theory of education that will be supported by the evidence and reflections that they describe in the portfolio.
5. School Placements - This form contains multiple fields in a "placement" element that can be repeated multiple (unbounded) times. 
   • School Name - A text input area
   • Host Teacher - A text input area
   • Grade level - A select box of grades
   • Responsibilities and description - A rich text area

Create and publish a matrix

The School of Education Proficiency matrix is comprised of 25 cells that are formed by the intersection of five rows (representing the five School of Education top level Proficiencies) and five columns (representing the stages within the program).  Each semester the student will add new evidence of their proficiency in each of the 5 rows, but only in the column that represents their stage in the program.  They will also be asked to reflect on their work and describe how they believe it demonstrates their own competency as well as what they learned as a result of creating the evidence during the semester.  They may also offer new insights and reflection on previous semester's evidence.  Each semester students will complete the five cells from the appropriate column by filling out the attached cell forms.

The first row of the matrix contains background and summary data about the student completing the cells. Each of the cells in the first row has the "Contact Information", "Emerging Philosophy" and "School Placements" forms attached.

The remaining rows of the matrix each correspond to a "proficiency" or competency that we want students to address in their portfolio.  Each of these cells has the "Learning Artifacts" form attached and a student is allowed to fill this form out as many times as they want. The "Reflection on Learning" form is also attached as the reflection device for the cell.

At Syracuse we do not use the OSP method of evaluation.  No review or evaluation forms are used.  Rather, we establish a data point for the evaluators using the Data Point tool and link it to our "goals" and "rate" student all "CIG Participants".

We leave all of the cells "Ready".  If a student "Submits a Cell for Review" accidentally, we unlock it.

Publish a "Portfolio Review" template in the portfolio worksite

The School of Education "Portfolio Review" allows a student to publish their "SOE Proficiency Matrix" as a multiple page web site tailored for consistent viewing by portfolio evaluators. It includes pages that juxtaposition a students' emerging philosophies and reflection on each of the schools' proficiencies.

Students begin the process by publishing a portfolio, using the "Portfolio Review" template and their "SOE Proficiency" matrix.

Students then iterate through the process of adding content to their matrix and viewing the results in their portfolio.

Faculty who are "Evaluators" view the student portfolios and complete the portfolio review by "rating" the portfolio using the data point tool.