ePortfolio eValuation
Generally, the checkpoint evaluation will involve three activities by the evaluator. One is required, but the other two are optional (yet highly recommended). Required is the checkpoint evaluation. Optional are opportunities to leave the student written feedback in the form of an “ePortfolio Note” and to “lock” artifacts and cover sheets at the checkpoint evaluation. This “lock down” feature was designed to eliminate the need to have a signature on each artifact cover sheet and to enable us to save a “snapshot” of the student’s status at each checkpoint, allowing us to verify progress over time. Subsequent evaluators will know by reviewing locked items that they have already been approved by previous evaluators.
1. Open your web browser and go to the SMSU home page: http://www.smsu.edu
2. Follow the link labeled Faculty and Staff
3. Follow the link labeled Faculty/Advisor Resource Center in the navigation bar.
4. Sign in with your PIN (you might want to bookmark this page after signing in).
5. You need the student’s ID number to view the portfolio or do the checkpoint evaluation. There is an easy way to get this if you do not know it: Click one of the four radio buttons indicated below, then click Submit, browse to a student’s name, and click on the name (the SSN will automatically be inserted into the correct form field on the bottom of the page).
6. Finding a student using one of the options above will automatically populate the form field in the bottom half of the page with the student’s ID number. Or if you know the student’s ID number you can type it in directly. Click the radio button labeled “ePortfolio Menu” and click submit.
On this next screen simply choose one of the three options and click the button. Note that the first two options will have you login again (to different database systems that contain the information), but that you should only need to complete these logins one time per session.
7. Viewing an ePortfolio. Choosing “View or Update ePortfolio” option allows you to view a portfolio. Doing so transfers you from the web server that hosts the faculty/advisor resource center to the web server that hosts the ePortfolios and you will be asked to log in again with your PIN on the new server. Once you have logged in you will be able to move back and forth between the servers until you close your browser windows (that is, end the session).
Ø TIP: Use the Site Map Link on each page of the ePortfolio to find your way around.
Ø TIP: When you are finished previewing a portfolio, you can go back to the faculty/advisor resource center by following the link in the navigation bar on the left in a student’s ePortfolio. This will take you back so you can choose another student to evaluate.
8. Locking down a portfolio. Below is a view of the MoSTEP Matrix in a portfolio. When you do a checkpoint evaluation, you can lockdown the artifacts so that no changes may be made by the student to the artifacts and cover sheets once evaluated (the student will however be able to upload new versions as additions). Simply check the checkbox by the artifact for each one you want to lock and then click the button labeled “Lock Selected File(s).
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After you lock down the checkpoint documents subsequent reviewers will be able to view them, but the student will not be allowed to change them or replace them. The student will be able to add additional documents to the list for each standard if desired (including new and improved versions of the existing documents). You may want to review the portfolio and add notes before locking down the documents. In this way the student would get an opportunity to revise the documents prior to lockdown. Some evaluators have expressed a concern that students may only want to present their very best work in the final portfolio product, particularly if they plan to use their portfolio as a job search tool. Students have total editorial control of the exported version that they will burn onto a CD before leaving the university. In the event you need to unlock an artifact for a student, please contact Mike Garton () and the item can be unlocked temporarily while a correction is made.
9. Leaving eValuation Notes. Choose the ePortfolio Notes button to leave feedback for the student and other ePortfolio evaluators. Leave a new note by clicking the link labeled “Enter Portfolio Note” or by scrolling to the bottom of the page.
When creating a new note, you can specify whether you are a commentator or evaluator. The difference is that any PEU member can be a commentator while only checkpoint evaluators are evaluators. You should designate which role you are using if both are viewable. When acting as evaluator, you must specify which checkpoint your notes correspond to. You may also want to check the check box to alert the student by email that ePortfolio Notes have been updated. Students have “read only” access to their specific notes. Click the submit button when you are finished typing your note. The page is updated and you will be able to view your note. Click the back button to go back to the resource center if you want to leave notes for additional students or complete checkpoint evaluations.
10. Performing the Checkpoint eValuation. Choose the ePortfolio Check Point Updates button from the resource center home screen to leave checkpoint evaluation information. Enter the semester and year for the appropriate checkpoint next to the appropriate scoring level (Meets, Does Not Meet, Exceeds) and the server will add the time stamp when you click the SUBMIT CHANGES button. You will be able to see the changes that you just made. The system records the last person to update the evaluation and makes a note of the date.