| The use of eportfolios for securing job interviews and placements has become an important part of student offerings at colleges. The career services department at the study site wanted to use such a tool, but lacked a formal eportfolio program to support students. To address the gap in practice, a program evaluation using qualitative analysis was selected to better understand the options that could lead to a decision making process regarding eportfolios as a formal initiative to support students. A constructive learning conceptual framework for the program evaluation was used to review the process of creating and updating eportfolios through gathering and analyzing inputs from instructors, career services, tech support, students, and eportfolio class data. The research questions for the study were designed to understand eportfolio platforms and functions, training for faculty and students, and technical support for sustainment of the program over time. The objective-based approach used triangulated data from open-ended interviews with career services personnel and instructors, open-ended questionnaires for students and tech support personnel, and feedback from eportfolio classes. All data were transcribed, coded, and evaluated for themes. Key findings of the study indicated an opportunity for instructors to support eportfolio development by students, and to leverage technology by the school for sustainment of the program over time. Based on the findings, a white paper was created that outlined formal procedures to support the college mission of empowering students to advance from low paying jobs through a showcase of best artifacts, thus enabling them to seek and secure careers. |
