The UNE ePortfolio initiative began in the fall term of 2016 with a set of English courses. The courses were also designed to include significant reflection and sharing of student work over the course of a year. The use of ePortfolios created with WordPress continues to be a good match and allows the possibility of further development as students continue through their time at UNE.
In conjunction with the launch of ePortfolio, the DigiSpace was created. The DigiSpace, which is part of the Student Academic Success Center, is staffed by undergraduate students called digital literacy consultants. The consultants assist peers with digital needs, including customizing and building ePortfolio, creating audio recordings and podcasts with Audacity software, and helping students use video editing software. This assistance is typically delivered one-to-one, but DigiSpace staff are also available for classroom visits to assist professors with ePortfolio development and other digital projects. In this UNE News feature, digital literacy consultants and students shared their opinions on the benefit of this peer-to-peer support.
In 2016, two consultants staffed the lab for a few hours each week night. Since then, the staff of consultants has grown and are now housed in SASC at the Commons, where they offer drop-in hours on weekdays as well as Sundays. The DigiSpace Coordinator Jen Gennaco, coordinates staffing and classroom visits in addition to providing faculty support (contact Jen at jgennaco@une.edu).
Each term, 250-325 undergrad students typically create an ePortfolio in their English Composition course. Many majors use ePortfolio to document learning and reflect on growth. Some programs, such as Nursing, English, and Education, will complete a professional ePortfolio, curating it by the completion of their degree. While not all majors require ePortfolio use, students are encouraged to add content and reflection throughout their time at UNE to demonstrate skills and growth and to connect their experiences, both in and out of the classroom.
