Learning Portfolio

Culminating Experience

All students completing the M.Ed. program in College Student Affairs are required to complete a Learning Portfolio. The Learning Portfolio is typically done in conjunction with the Capstone course (CSA 505). To complete the project, students should register for CSA 596 (1 credit) in a section associated with the student’s academic advisor in the final semester of study. The Learning Portfolio is completed during the student's final semester; however, work begins with the first semester of registration.

The Learning Portfolio is an analysis of the student's experiences in the College Student Affairs Program through presentation of (1) reflective papers, and (2) artifacts. Artifacts represent the student's work in a variety of settings: the classroom, assistantships, internships, professional organizations, and local leadership.

Learning Portfolios will be created in consultation with the student's academic advisor, and the final portfolio will be shared with the student’s academic advisor and Capstone course instructor. The portfolio will be organized with reference to the College Student Affairs Program’s Learning Outcomes.

Materials should be displayed using Penn State’s E-Portfolio capabilities (http://eportfolio.psu.edu/). The artifacts should be organized in a logical fashion and in a manner that emphasizes attractive display and easy location of individual artifacts. This aspect of the portfolio assignment can be used as a valuable reference for interactions with prospective employers, and students are encouraged to assemble documents in a way that will complement their conference placement and job search activities (see Appendix A for a sample outline).

Reflections on learning demonstrated through the artifacts

1) Course Reflections

Review with faculty in respective courses/CSA faculty advisor

At the completion of each class in the CSA program, students will write a reflective statement for the portfolio that describes and analyses significant learning experiences and outcomes throughout the course. The course reflection is intended to encourage students to reflect upon their learning and contextualize the artifacts from the course. The student will work with his/her academic advisor to review the course reflections and accompanying artifacts. It is recommended that the student meet with his/her advisor at least twice during the course of each semester.

2) Initial Reflection

Review with CSA 501 faculty/CSA Faculty Advisor

Upon entry into the master’s program, students will write a reflective statement (preferably in CSA 501). To set personal goals for professional development requires an enlightened awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses relative to the profession. Therefore, one must continually evaluate oneself and explore her or his interests, abilities, and values to determine how these relate to personal and professional objectives. The primary purpose of this initial reflection is to provide an opportunity for the student to think about himself/herself as a Student Affairs professional. Students will reflect on questions including, “How and why did you select student affairs work or higher education as a career, and in what ways are your strengths, abilities, and values congruent with the profession? “Who was most influential in your selection of student affairs and why?” “What talents do you bring to the profession?”

3) Mid-Point Reflection

Review with CSA Faculty Advisor

At the conclusion of the student’s first year in the CSA program the student will write a reflection for the portfolio that describes and analyzes significant learning experiences and outcomes over the course of the student’s first year. This statement is meant to encourage students to reflect upon their learning and contextualize the artifacts included in the portfolio collected in the first year.

4) Culminating Reflection

Review with CSA faculty advisor and with CSA 505 faculty

At the conclusion of student’s tenure in the CSA program each student will write a culminating reflection in the Capstone Course (CSA 505) for the portfolio that describes and analyses significant learning experiences and outcomes over the course of the student’s time in the CSA program. This reflection is meant to encourage students to reflect upon their learning and contextualize the artifacts included in the portfolio. Although the culminating reflection is an assignment in the CSA 505 course it is completed in consultation with the student’s CSA faculty advisor.

Recommended Guidelines for Reflective Writing

Reflections should address the CSA Learning Outcomes. The purpose of each reflection is to portray the student’s learning history. Therefore, the student should include—but not feel limited to—the following elements:

a) The student’s self-rating of current level of ability in specific learning outcomes.

b) A self-assessment narrative in which the student shares insights about his/her own learning in specific learning outcomes, including both strengths and areas in need of improvement. In the narrative, the student should analyze how learning is progressing in specific learning outcomes and provide detailed examples of relevant learning experiences.

c) References to sample artifacts that illustrate and support points made in the reflection, along with a discussion of what the artifacts represent. At the time of the first reflection, the student may select artifacts from previous professional and life experiences. At the time of the mid-point and culminating reflections, the student will select artifacts from courses taken in the program as well as examples of out-of-class learning.

d) The student’s goals for improvement.

CSA Faculty Advisor Reviews of the Learning Portfolio

Each student will prepare and present a Learning Portfolio to his/her academic advisor twice during the CSA program. Faculty Review 1 occurs during the late spring or early summer of the student’s first year of the program. This review is concurrent with the student’s Mid-Point Reflection and involves only the student and his/her advisor.

Faculty Review 2 occurs during the late spring of the second year, as a culmination of the student’s masters program. This process runs concurrently with student’s Culminating Reflection and is an assignment in the Capstone Course (CSA 505). It is expected that this review involves completion of the final Learning Portfolio.

Both faculty reviews provide an opportunity for faculty advisors to discuss and provide direction to student learning.

Requirements of Final Learning Portfolio

The final portfolio presented to the faculty advisor and capstone course instructor during the student’s final review should include several elements. A sample outline is provided in Appendix A. The student should organize the material to facilitate movement through the presentation portfolio. The student should design the home page and system of links in a way that communicates the portfolio’s organization to the reader and is easy to use.

Appendix A

Sample Outline for E-Portfolio

Information on how to apply for personal web space

https://www.work.psu.edu/webspace/

Entry page

• Brings the reader into your page

Table of Contents page

Home Page

• Welcome to your portfolio with how it is set-up
• Includes table of contents
• Includes contact information

Resume

• Include a copy of your current resume

Course work

• Provide a list of all of the courses you have taken in the program with a link on each that leads the reader to:
• One paragraph of how the course contributed to your professional development
• Writing Sample – perhaps an abstract of the writing sample to draw introduce the reader to the sample

Experience

List of all of your experiences in student affairs both while here at PSU and also in other positions with a link for each that leads the reader to:

• A short (1-2 paragraph) abstract of the experience and how it contributed to your professional development
• Samples of how this experience was “successful” (e.g., programs you created, thank-you notes from students/staff acknowledging you for your work)

Co-Curricular

List of the co-curricular activities and experiences related to student affairs while here at PSU and also in other positions with a link for each that leads the reader to them. Examples include Thon, advising student groups, SASO officer, unit/university councils or committees, advisory boards.

Competencies – Mapping to the Learning Outcomes

It is expected experiences in the CSA program through coursework, internships, and assistantships will offer students the opportunity to develop skills in accordance with the six CSA Learning Outcomes. The e-portfolio should include each of the following learning outcomes with:

1. A 1-2 page reflection discussing how your experiences assisted you in achieving the learning outcome
2. 2-3 pieces of relevant evidence of your competency (e.g., course papers/assignments, programs developed, co-curricular activities, supervisor evaluations, student evaluations, e-mail messages, ANGEL content, reflections on conferences that you attended)

Foundations of Student Affairs
Knowledge of and ability to articulate

• historical, philosophical, and contextual foundations

• contemporary issues in student affairs

Experience-based evidence of understanding of multiple functional areas within student affairs

Student Development and Outcomes

Understanding of

• psychosocial, cognitive, college impact, and learning theories
• selected counseling theories and practices
• the characteristics of effective educational interventions

Ability to apply theory to practice in both specialized and generalist areas

Ability to apply theory to develop effective educational programs

Professional Competencies
Experience-based evidence of

• management skills (projects, budgeting, marketing, legal issues, etc.)
• program planning

Demonstration of

• active listening skills
• empathy, integrity, and compassion in interactions with others
• cross cultural communication skills
• group facilitation
• crisis intervention skills
• mediation skills
• leadership and teamwork skills

Knowledge and demonstration of adherence to applicable professional ethical standards

Inter- and Intra- personal Skills

Demonstration of

• self-understanding and commitment to on-going development
• interest in and ability to learn about individuals different than oneself
• interest in and ability to learn about ideas and beliefs different than one’s own
• self-management

Commitment To And Understanding Of Issues Related To Social Justice

Knowledge of existing systems of oppression (racism, sexism, ability, homophobia, etc.) and how they influence students’ experiences the role of advocacy in student affairs

Evidence of integration of a social justice perspective in professional functions

Research and Assessment

Knowledge of and ability to

• employ good practices that focus on the effectiveness of programs and services
• design and implement thorough assessment efforts, including the identification of new key questions, resources, and target populations
• create instruments and/or protocols for assessing important questions
• identify, evaluate, and utilize existing instruments and protocols
• analyze and utilize multiple sources of data to reach useable conclusions
• credibly convey key findings/recommendations to stakeholders and constituents