Using portfolios to enhance learning in a masters level practicum course: A pilot project

Portfolios are used by an increasing number of disciplines to compile and demonstrate students' body of learning. Portfolios are consistent with theories of adult learning in that they promote reflection, self-assessment, self-directed and active learning. Although public health has only recently begun to use this modality, the portfolio is uniquely suited to represent the broad competencies, skills, experiential and applied learning that characterizes public health training. Well-designed portfolios can serve instructors' need to track the depth and breadth of students' experiences in diverse settings. Reflection and journalistic entries can indicate students' progress toward achievement of a variety of competencies that may be difficult to measure in the classroom such as professionalism and leadership. They can provide a venue for close communication between faculty and students to facilitate achievement of individual learning objectives and promote personal growth. For students, portfolios can be appropriate to a range of learning styles, and can provide concrete evidence of achievements and skills as they enter the job market. However, standardization of portfolios and appropriate metrics for student assessment and evaluation are less well-developed than the portfolio process and format. A pilot project was conducted in a masters level public health practicum course. Student volunteers developed portfolios as part of their required course work. The portfolio consisted of structured entries, written assignments, response papers, reflections and a scrapbook of products from their practice project. We will present a content analysis of the portfolios compared to standard assignments, students' reflections and evaluations and recommendations for next steps.