MNTfolio: Customizing e-Portfolios for Undergraduate Research
Project Name
Micro Nano Technology Collaborative Undergraduate Research Network (MNT-CURN)
Project Description
CAST is partnering with the Micro Nano Technology Education Center (MNT-EC) based at Pasadena City College to embed an e-portfolio into a newly established network to aid undergraduate students conducting research. MNT-EC supports technician education at two-year institutions, with funding from the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF-ATE) program.
The MNT-EC aims to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and completions in micro- and nano-based technician education in community college settings. Students participating in undergraduate research experiences will use MNTfolio, a version of CAST’s e-portfolio tool, customized especially for this project.
CAST will design and develop MNTfolio by conducting discovery research with higher ed and industry leaders to identify the key competencies and skills required for prospective employees. CAST will also work with micro nano educators to develop Challenges (mini-assignments) and lead professional development workshops to support MNTfolio’s implementation.
During implementation, educators will create and assign Challenges to students to allow them to demonstrate what they are learning. Students can respond with text, videos, and images to highlight the competencies they have developed.
Educators can evaluate student responses using a built-in rubric and provide feedback to students, who can then use that feedback to retake a Challenge. At the culmination of students’ research projects, they can create an e-portfolio that showcases their responses, and they can digitally share their Folio with a prospective employer or school counselor.
Timeline
2021 – 2023
Funder
National Science Foundation—Advanced Technological Education
Partner
Project Leadership
Sam Johnston, Co-Director
Alison Driscoll, Co-Director
Contact
For more information about this project, please contact Alison Driscoll.