A Graduate Teaching Program Learning Environment that Features Coordinated e-Portfolios and an Assessment Guidebook: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

This research aims to describe the concept behind the design of the learning environment at a graduate school, which was established as a “Professional Graduate School” in April 2008. It has made some efforts for ensuring the quality of educational activities, such as coordinated use of “Electronic Portfolios” and “Assessment Guidebooks.” Results and issues arisen within the first two years, were identified and the following six points became apparent: 1) The clarification of Assessment Guidebook targets has been useful in encouraging the students and in establishing trust between the school and its students. 2) The design of coursework, based on the curriculum framework, allows teaching personnel to clarify more fully their responsibilities in each subject. 3) By reviewing student and staff comments in the e-portfolio, teaching personnel can see how and where graduate students are supplementing their studies at other lectures. 4) The establishment of a graduate student room and allowing access to e-portfolios through the wireless LAN allows students to review classes in terms of comments. 5) The Assessment Guidebook and e-portfolio allow both teachers and students to review what they should have learned from the course. 6) Continual interaction with and guidance from teaching personnel encourage graduate students to use an e-portfolio effectively.