ST in Arts, Humanities, Social Science: Portfolios for Learning

Catalog description

This course is for students who are excited to learn about learning, contribute to the design of experiences for future Olin students, and integrate their own learning into tangible outputs to carry into the future. As we revitalize Olin’s educational approach, a recurring topic has been to create opportunities for students to collate and reflect on their learning, making connections that integrate Olin successes (and failures!) into new contexts at Olin and beyond. One potential way to achieve this goal is student Portfolios . What are Portfolios, why do they matter, and what might they look like for Olin students? A recent higher ed publication describes Portfolios (in their digital form) as follows: “ePortfolios digitally curate student work to provide an authentic representation of learning outcomes. From compiling course-related essays to documenting volunteer experiences and employment history, ePortfolios capture learning wherever it occurs.… Building an ePortfolio leads students to naturally make valuable connections between various courses, assignments, and cocurricular activities through reflection of their past work. Whether showcasing students’ knowledge and skills for graduate school or a job application, ePortfolios paint an accurate portrait” (AAC&U https://www.aacu.org/trending-topics/eportfolios ). In this course, students will study the topic of Portfolios and student learning, build from that understanding to create their own Portfolios, and share insights that may impact the potential use of Portfolios in Olin’s future.