The National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Learning chose NIU as a member of a group that will help colleges and universities better understand how electronic portfolios aid students’ learning processes.

Two NIU English professors, Michael Day and Bradley Peters, will collect information about electronic portfolio learning initiatives that are in place on campus. They also will research questions to help member schools better document what students learn through creating and revising electronic portfolios.

By using electronic portfolios, teachers are able to assess a student’s growth at four levels: individually, as a class, in the program and at the university level.

“Electronic portfolios allow comparison over a number of years and keep a progressive record of student work,” Day said. “If more classes required portfolios, students would be able to do more self-assessment by reflecting on their own progress. I think that electronic portfolios may change the way administrators, teachers and students think of education,” Day said.

NIU is one of 10 colleges and universities included in the first year of the three-year coalition project. Twenty more colleges and universities will be added, 10 each year, over the next two years.

“NIU is in a good position to make use of and contribute the most to this project,” Day said. “The coalition wants a broad spectrum of schools to be involved.”

Faculty and students may be involved in the study if they choose, but no one will be required to participate.

Access to student portfolio work will be governed by Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations, a federal law that applies to all schools that receive funding from the U.S. Department of Education.

“Students’ privacy will not be compromised by any aspect of this study,” Day said.