Welcome to Digication Scholars Conversations.
I'm your host, Kelly Driscoll.
In this episode, you'll hear part two of my conversation with Abby Crew, Assistant
Dean of Academic Planning, Assessment and Improvement, Curriculum Review and
Innovation at Colorado Mountain College.
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I was curious, so I know Digication's had a long history in supporting
Outcomes-based assessments, um, many institutions have approached it in,
you know, whether they're collecting work within individual courses or
more of a kind of cohort approach.
Very often, they may be, you know, sampling from pools of work and
presenting it to, uh, you know, kind of.
committee based review sort of process where there's a group of reviewers that
are going through and looking at the work.
And with the introduction of KORA courses, there'll be more
functionality for performing assessments within the actual courses.
And I was curious if your institution is planning, um, To use both kinds
of approaches or one or the other, what, what might your plans be?
We're not really sure yet.
Um, I did just email your tech support folks and Jeff yesterday because what
we would like is a template, a universal template to, um, roll out for all CMC
users where the assignments are preloaded.
Um, the about me section to introduce yourself and then the knowledge
involvement and application.
that have the AAC&U rubrics already overlaid on them.
Um, so, previously we were embedding Digication in each Canvas course, and
we hadn't yet figured out how to do that more program level, institution
level, uh, assessment, but I think we're getting someplace now, uh,
with the new KORA build that we can.
Yeah.
We can overlay the template with the assignments for all CMC users.
So that's exciting.
Um, and we'll see, we'll see what we learn from there and how we need to
iterate and improve in the future.
So we haven't tried it yet, but that's the, that's the idea.
That's the plan.
That's the plan, right?
Yes.
And, um, I, I think it'll be fun.
You know, whenever we're working with institutions, you know, there's
always the kind of, um, Initial plan.
And for many, it's the first time that they've ever had this amount
of kind of data right at their fingertips that they're able to assess.
There's been a kind of long history of.
You know, certain individuals being charged with tracking down, uh, evidence
of student learning and not having a way to just kind of directly access, um, you
know, evidence of what students have done, already have it mapped to various learning
outcomes and, and have the tools for different reviewers to be able to access
it, whether they're doing it right within their, courses or maybe after a semester
or academic year, um, for more program or institutional level kinds of assessments.
And, um, I was, you know, kind of curious in your discussions with faculty members,
kind of going back to those initial.
for reflection questions that you gave them, um, as they were kind of envisioning
what they might hope to see from their students, were they always kind of
thinking about the The outcome first and then what students create, or were faculty
members kind of thinking, well, we have, you know, these signature assignments
or these kind of core experiences that students have, and then thinking about.
You know, what outcomes do really align with these?
I know in some conversations we have with institutions, they've just drafted
new general education outcomes and, um, or maybe there's certain professional
practice programs that have specific standards that they have to work toward.
So I was curious in your, um, kind of work with faculty, you know, and they
may have approached it in different ways, but how are they kind of, um,
Even getting to the point where they could clearly see, you know, what it
was that they wanted to collect from the students, or, you know, what did they
want to know about what the students were creating that they might not have had
a kind of means or tool to do before?
Both, I will say.
Um, through our, our four question, um, authentic assessment.
Um, protocol faculty are asked to reflect on the outcome that they're assessing,
the artifact that they used, and then how they knew, um, kind of what the
students did or didn't do, kind of what their benchmark or expectation were.
And then improvements in the future.
And so the evidence that we've created or that we've collected to answer that
question is that, um, improvements, uh, answers to the improvements question are
both, I need to scrap that assignment.
And, I need to better articulate how this assignment aligns
with this learning outcome.
So, like, we have received answers both end, um, which is great.
And so, also, I, I really do rely heavily on the work of Mary-Ann
Winkelmes, I'm not, Wyn, I'm not saying her name correctly, I'm, I apologize.
But she has the framework for transparency and teaching and learning.
And so we share that with all of our faculty to help them think through.
The assignments that they're creating and how they align with the student learning
outcomes, um, both at the course level and at the institutional level, um, so
that either they can change some of the language in their assignment or they can
tweak part of their assignments as well.
That's great.
And when you're having these conversations, is it something that, um,
family members are doing kind of remotely and then coming back and reporting on it?
Or is it something that's done more in Collaboration with each other.
Again, both end.
So we have 11 campuses across like 200 square miles in mountainous
Colorado with passes and canyons and everything in between.
So, um, our organizational structure is a little different.
Uh, we often don't have any full time faculty in some of our departments.
Uh, large two thirds of our classes are taught by adjuncts.
Um, many in area high schools as well.
So when we are able to come together, uh, as a faculty body,
it's really, uh, a special experience because so often we are an N-of-1.
Um, and we do try to share our information as broadly as we can, which includes, um,
roadshows and a lot of effort on our part and also virtually in leveraging, um.
virtual meetings to bring folks together.
So kind of all of the above.
Yeah.
Both on the campus and within the department.
That's great.
And it sounds like, and this may be a big part of your role too, that there seems to
have been this kind of, um, culture that's been created where faculty members do feel
comfortable sharing that they may not have all of the answers at the, at the onset.
So there's still this kind of open dialogue about, you know, what, what
assignments they may have that are working assignments that they have that.
Maybe aren't working yet or that they had high hopes for, but need to be
tweaked in order to get the kind of results that they're looking for.
And I was curious, you know, is that something that's always been
kind of in existence since you've been at Colorado Mountain College?
Or do you feel like it's something that maybe is starting to emerge because of the
conversations that have been happening?
around the general education outcomes or institution outcomes and maybe
some of the changes that have been happening as a result of more
integration of the high impact practices.
I think that all change starts with relationship building.
Um, and I have been at Colorado Mountain College for 12 years.
Um, and I am in year two of my brand new eight title.
Eight word title.
So, um, prior to, um, this position that I am in now, I
was an adjunct faculty member.
I was also department chair.
So, I had an understanding of the inner workings of the institution.
I also had relationships with many of the faculty as department chair.
So, um, I think that their, like, COVID also changed pedagogy in so many
ways where You know, there was trust building and there was vulnerability
and there was a disclosure of like, I have no idea what I'm doing.
Can we all help each other?
And the students feel the same way.
And so I think.
That when we are able to model vulnerability and we're able to show
up in these ways that, that cultivate trust and, and it's safe to, to fail
and to iterate and improve, um, then we all learn and grow and our students and
really our own professional practice, um, is to benefit from it, right?
So.
It's, I would say it's not new, I would also say it's based on a long
history of relationship cultivation.
And I was curious too, so in your own teaching, uh, you mentioned
that classes just started yesterday.
But thank you for, you know, spending time with me right at
the beginning of the semester.
Um, so I was curious, is that something that yokind of u speak
to when you're working with your students also or maybe, you know,
is that something that informs your approach as a, as an educator as well?
For sure.
And as I shared earlier, I always think of the hair club for men
quippy title, like I'm not just the president, I'm a user too.
Um, so when I kind of wear the admin hat of like, you should
have ePortfolio in your class.
Here's how awesome it is.
Here's how I used it in my class, right?
Like I, in my new role, I have the privilege of teaching one
class a semester and they are my very favorite classes to teach.
Um, and I get to try out new things and see what fails and hear from
students about how to improve my instruction and or tweak an assignment.
Um, and that.
I think goes a long way because I am, I'm in it.
I'm like in it with the faculty doing what the faculty, what
I'm asking them to do as well.
So we can all learn and grow together.
And so what are some of the things that have happened in, with your students as a
result of using ePortfolios in your own?
Teaching.
So I've had students, um, really excited to share their learning with
their family and friends outside of the space of the classroom.
Um, I have students doing just remarkable projects and here is a platform
for them to celebrate their work.
So.
Uh, that's been fun.
I haven't yet heard of a student getting a job from ePortfolio,
but just wait, I know it's coming.
Uh, our business faculty are super excited to integrate ePortfolio in all
of their internship classes this fall.
So I know that it will go far and wide in job placement as well.
I just don't have the data on that yet.
Check back with me next year.
Oh, yeah, we should chat again.
Um, and we have some other really great conversations that'll be published soon
uh, about internship specific kinds of work that are happening at other
campuses as well, so we should definitely um, stay in touch on that front.
Um, and I was curious if there was anything that Maybe surprised you, um,
in what some of your students might have shared within their e portfolio,
whether it was, um, maybe some kind of challenge that they had had or, and
you don't have to talk about, you know, specific students, but was there, have
there been any kinds of reflections that Made you kind of step back and say, oh,
wow, you know, this is something that you know, you hadn't really anticipated
but that the the students kind of brought into their story about their Experience
whether it was something happening at the institution or or outside Not yet is my
answer to that question And the reason I think it's not yet happened is because
my classroom Um, I strive to cultivate a space of belonging, and so I invite,
we started class yesterday with students sharing the story of their name, and so
that's just how we kick off a semester.
That's our icebreaking activity.
Um, and so, students have reflections almost weekly, and so by the time
they are, um, uh, Um, experiencing the Digication platform, I have a pretty
solid relationship with my students.
So I've not yet had a surprise, that's not to say that it won't happen, um, but
weekly I am surprised by my students.
And so because I think they have, um, a multitude of opportunity to
share of themselves throughout this semester and not just in this like
culminating ePortfolio experience, um, I've not yet been surprised.
But I, again, I'm sure it'll happen at some point.
Yeah, but that's really interesting because you have the, this kind of
reflective process built in weekly that you are learning quite a bit about
them as the semester kind of unfolds.
So that makes a lot of sense.
Um, what are some of the kinds of reflective prompts that
you use in your own teaching?
And so very quick reflective prompts at the end, like our exit
ticket is the muddiest point.
What, what made absolutely no sense this week.
Um, and so we'll start class the following week with the muddiest point.
Um, and I'll do a word cloud, uh, with Mentimeter of like aha moments,
like what stuck with you from the day.
And so even just those like super quick reflective activities.
Um, helps me stay connected to the students and also the
content and my pedagogy, right?
Like in those two very short prompts, I'm able to assess a lot about the student
learning, my delivery of the information.
And, um, sort of the, the impact of that content on the students.
Yeah.
I can imagine, you know, if you're finding that a majority of the students
had a similar muddiest point, but it's good to know that then so that
you can come in and support them.
Absolutely.
And I will always say like, if it's one or two students, That's kind of
on you, but we'll meet in the middle.
If it's everybody, that's on me.
All good information.
Right.
All good information.
Yeah.
And so when they're sharing these kinds of reflections, is it something
that they're, um, sharing openly with each other or are those things
that are just shared with you?
How are you kind of approaching that?
A little bit of both.
Um, so in WebEx, they can, um, drop in the chat a muddiest point
that is connected to their name.
Um, also in the Mentimeter, it is anonymous.
So I will, um, I will vary, uh, how I solicit that feedback.
Uh, it is helpful for me to be able to connect with the students
one on one and know who you are.
They are, if I can support them.
Um, Also, sometimes students don't, don't feel safe or secure, um, and would
share more in an anonymous, uh, venue.
So, like a Padlet, too, we can do.
I, I employ, um, a number of different technologies in my room to solicit
feedback, both anonymous and identified.
Great.
And we haven't touched on this too much, but you mentioned that, um,
there's advisors that are involved with the ePortfolio as well.
Could you describe that a little bit?
Sure.
I, I, this is all theoretical and ideation.
And again, check back with me in a year when we have, uh, I have an article
sort of percolating in my brain and I need the data to be able to write it.
Um, about how integrating ePortfolio at the level of an advisor, um, helps
engagement with ePortfolio, helps advisors support their students, and
helps students make connections between classes, um, and beyond classes.
So, I really see it as a rich opportunity for engagement, and I will say.
Um, there is one scholar at IUPUI who's doing this right now, Rachel
Swinford, um, and I have brought it up at the AAC&U ePortfolio Institute.
And it's kind of a burgeoning field to engage student services in ePortfolio.
And to me, it makes all the sense in the world.
So, um, we are looking at holistic advising, um, and kind of reimagining
our advising as they align with our academic and career communities.
We are just now becoming a guided pathway institution.
And so all of these changes are kind of the perfect storm.
to add this tool to help support and capture student learning.
Um, so again, like we, we haven't seen it take off yet, but we
have a lot of interest and excitement, which is wonderful.
That's like first level of change is you need some interest and excitement.
Um, and then we'll, we'll sort of have a soft scale up of implementation.
Um, and then.
We'll evaluate how it's going and, um, iterate on improve
and improve as we go along.
So, um, again, in, in my brain, it makes all the sense in the world.
And I just created a, an assignment sheet that I'm happy to share out with you.
And it, it kind of walks students through semester by semester.
And so prior to meeting an advisor, Uh, inviting students to create their
ePortfolio, to populate their About Me section, um, their pictures, artwork,
um, I'm looking at my assignment sheet right now, under the course tab.
They can list the courses that they want to take, any co curriculars that they're
involved with or want to be involved with.
Any achievements that they're coming to us with, and then this is just
an opportunity for an advisor to get to know their advisees, um, on a
deeper level and allow their advisees to share of themselves in like a
really, I think, kind of special way.
And so then upon the completion of their first semester, the invitation
is to upload an artifact of their work that aligns with the Institutional
Student Learning Outcome of Knowledge and then explain how and why that
artifact, uh, demonstrates one of the competencies within knowledge
involvement and application.
Um, and I kind of walk through those instructions semester by semester.
So the advisor and the ePortfolio is that through thread for
an entire student experience.
So it's like a living curriculum.
And the other thing that I love is that it allows for growth in real time.
So a student can leave for semesters later and look back at
who they were when they came in.
And that timestamp is like.
demonstrable growth, right?
Like, I have a five year old who grows every night, and this is
like an 18 year old's trajectory or a 44 year old's trajectory.
Um, and they can say like, yeah, that was worth my time and money.
Look how much I've changed because of this experience.
Like, that's, that's kind of awesome.
And that's what we hope for.
Yeah.
Well, that's wonderful.
And I do think, you know, in terms of going back to relationship building
again, that the, for the advisor to have all of that information about the
student, you know, maybe even before they have some of those first conversations.
I think would just make the, it's so much more meaningful on both sides.
Um, I know very often that students have very little kind
of face time with their advisors.
And, you know, if they can get certain things kind of, Embedded into their
conversation before they're even together.
I mean, I think it could just go so much further.
And that is my hope that it's less of a transactional experience and
more of a transformative experience.
Um, it also allows for kind of the affinity groups, um, especially
within our pathways right now are advising models really.
campus based, and so there's some limitations with that.
There's some assets to that as well.
Um, but this opens up an opportunity for students to find other students
who have similar trajectories and or different ones and can leverage,
um, strengths and weaknesses within those affinity groups too.
So it's just another way.
to get to know our students and to celebrate all their accomplishments.
They're amazing.
They impressed me every single day.
Every day.
Yeah.
Oh, I feel that too.
Whenever we're looking at these ePortfolios that they've created,
it's just incredibly inspiring.
And, um, I was curious if you could share a little bit about how Um, your
institution approaches the pathways.
Every institution has a, a somewhat unique kind of story to tell in that, that area.
So we are part of, uh, well, our director of student services said that
he started 20 years ago with this, but I'm not really sure about that.
We have a board of trustees resolution as of last year, which was really
exciting to move the work forward.
Um, so we have seven academic and career communities, and what we were trying
to do within those academic and career communities was, um, align kind of the
stackable credentials, if you will.
So we have certificate programs that share kind of a common core that's
scaffold into an associate's programs that feed into a bachelor's program.
So students can explore.
with guardrails and not waste time, credit, or money in their exploration.
So that was our approach to our guided pathways.
And And we have, um, we have a model set up right now, and certainly we
will, um, continue to examine and improve upon the alignment that we
have both within the academic and career communities and between them.
And so we're looking in our GenEd core right now as well.
There's many institutions that are in that same position, and that's part
of why this work is so important.
And I think it's bringing a lot.
into the light that needs to be reviewed for the benefit of the
students and the institution.
So it's all part of the process.
You know, I think that, you know, I would like to say the majority
of institutions are well meaning and there to serve students.
And, um, and along the way, sometimes these things get
created and may not have the.
Level of attention that they deserve and it's important to just kind of
have those conversations and keep, you know, moving the, the institutions
forward and innovating in the, the way that your institution is continuing
to do, uh, under your leadership.
I think it's a, you know, a very honest and open.
The conversation that a lot of institutions, um, need
and, and, and should have.
So it's, it's like you change one thing and then you realize all the other things
that kind of need improvement as well.
I mean, we started with painting a closet and we went to a bathroom remodel,
you know, like it is, uh, I know that well, that is what this feels like.
And honestly, I think that some of that, um, cascade effect is brought
to light because of Digication and because of those aha moments that we're
having when we see things structurally that, that could also benefit student
success and equitable outcomes.
And so like, how can we turn a blind eye to that?
That, you know, now we are seeing it in a way we never did before.
So we're grateful for that vision.
And somewhat exhausted about the work that is before us as well.
I thought we fixed that problem and here's another one to be addressed.
Oh, that sounds really familiar in my world, too.
Uh huh.
But it does, it does keep us You know, being active, creative, and, uh, really,
you know, working toward that, um, common goal to, to make education better, make
the student experience better, and, um, hopefully make their experiences
better in their communities and.
Um, you know, without sounding too lofty and, you know, improve the world.
I don't, I don't think that's too lofty.
There's work to be done.
Thank you so much, Abby.
I, I really appreciate, uh, you.
Joining me today and, you know, sharing everything that your
institution is working towards around ePortfolios and reflective
pedagogy, high impact practices.
You're doing so many wonderful things and I would love to, uh, set
up a time, you know, a year from now, um, to kind of get a pulse on.
You know, how things expanded, you know, in, so are you starting year
two or this is going to be the beginning of year three, isn't it?
We are starting year two.
Just starting year two.
Gosh, you've done so much already.
So yes, we should talk again in a year.
And, um, and then we can follow up with listeners on, uh, everything that you
were able to accomplish and using some of the new course and assessment features
that are available in Digication KORA.
And, um, all of the.
Wonderful ePortfolios that your students are going to be continuing
creating as your, um, kind of implementation expands at the campus.
And I'm really excited about this, um, incorporation of the advising.
I've also always felt like it has such a wonderful fit within,
you know, any kind of student support, student services oriented.
areas within the campus that has a lot of value.
I think anytime students are able to share their story and lend to that kind
of relationship building in different parts of the institution, the better.
So thank you again for, for joining me today, Abby.
And you are welcome.
Thanks for having me.
Talk to you soon.
Bye.
This concludes our conversation.
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