Leveraging a required e-portfolio course to meet multiple needs: Student assessment, curriculum improvement, and accreditation

Abstract

BackgroundLearning portfolios enable student pharmacists to connect program outcomes and related learning experiences to future practice as healthcare providers. Assessment programs also require data to inform decisions regarding curriculum quality and maintain program accreditation. Our goal was to create a portfolio meeting multiple needs, including learning improvement, curricular assessment, and accreditation. Educational activityIn this required, longitudinal, learning e-portfolio course, students upload artifacts and reflect on how the corresponding learning experiences link to program outcomes and their own continuous professional development. Baseline and annual self-assessment ratings and guided reflections document progress toward learning outcome attainment. Individualized formative feedback from pharmacist reviewers develops student capacity for reflection, improves ability to assess their own strengths and weaknesses, and promotes lifelong learning. De-identified quantitative and qualitative data is shared with stakeholders for purposes of improvement. Critical analysis of the educational activityThrough deliberate design of the course, a corresponding plan for assessment, and modification of portfolio software platform reporting capabilities, the program has been able to acquire rich quantitative and qualitative data regarding individual student and cohort performance. This has enabled us to review these data to make improvements in individual learning experiences and make informed decisions regarding curricular effectiveness and accreditation requirements as part of the collegiate assessment plan. This course provides a wealth of opportunity for student growth and generation of assessment data, but it is best suited for programs with ample support resources to maintain its integrity as designed.