Competency-based Education: Empower authentic and skill-based learning

The challenges of traditional student portfolios

Student portfolios have been a cornerstone of the assessment process at NHL Stenden, serving as a comprehensive showcase of a learner's achievements and progress. However, as Jort Harmsen, lecturer at NHL Stenden, explains, the university's experience with these traditional portfolios revealed three key challenges: 

Clunky Data Management: The portfolios had grown to massive sizes, often reaching 1-2 gigabytes per semester, causing significant strain on the university's learning management system (LMS) and creating stress for both students and faculty.

Disconnected Learning Outcomes: Linking specific student performances to the corresponding learning outcomes was a cumbersome and time-consuming process, making it difficult for students to understand their progress and development.

Lack of Holistic Insights: The traditional approach of relying on Excel sheets and disparate data points made it challenging for both students and faculty to gain a comprehensive understanding of the learner's overall progress and growth.

Embracing Programmatic Assessment and FeedbackFruits Developmental Portfolio

Recognizing the need for a more efficient and student-centric approach, NHL Stenden decided it was time to transform how they facilitated student portfolios. The university's solution was to adopt a programmatic assessment model, leveraging the capabilities of the Feedback Fruits solutions to create a seamless and user-friendly system for both students and faculty.

At the heart of NHL Stenden's new approach is the integration of the Feedback Fruits platform within their Blackboard Ultra learning management system. This integration has transformed the assessment process in the following ways:

Centralized Dashboard

Instead of relying on fragmented portfolios, students now have access to a centralized dashboard that serves as the hub for their learning journey. This dashboard consolidates all the feedback, assessments, and data points, providing students with a comprehensive and user-friendly overview of their progress.

“It's user-friendly. I have never explained to students how FeedbackFruits works. It's only teachers who have to explain it.” – Jort Harmsen

Automated Portfolio Management

The burden of manually compiling a portfolio has been lifted from the students' shoulders. Now, all the assignments, feedback, and assessments are automatically captured and organized within the dashboard, eliminating the need for students to create and maintain a separate portfolio.

“Students are no longer responsible for putting a portfolio together. The assignments are automatically collected in the portfolio, linked to data points and learning outcomes that we think should be linked to.” – Jort Harmsen

Seamless Feedback Integration

The Feedback Fruits platform seamlessly integrates with the Blackboard Ultra LMS, allowing for a streamlined feedback process. Students receive feedback from their peers, coaches, and external assessors, all of which are centralized within their dashboard. This real-time feedback loop empowers students to actively engage in their learning and development.

Outcome-Driven Assessments

NHL Stenden has aligned its assessment approach with clearly defined learning outcomes, ensuring that each data point and feedback is directly linked to the specific outcomes students are working to achieve. This outcome-driven approach provides students with a clear understanding of their progress and helps them focus their efforts on attaining the desired learning objectives.

Benefits of the new approach

The implementation of programmatic assessment and developmental portfolio at NHL Stenden has yielded numerous benefits for both students and faculty:

Improved Student Engagement and Ownership

By removing the administrative burden of portfolio management, students can now devote more time and energy to their learning. The centralized dashboard empowers them to take an active role in their development, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement in the learning process.

Enhanced Visibility and Transparency

The integration of learning outcomes, feedback, and assessments within the FeedbackFruits dashboard provides students with a clear and comprehensive view of their progress. This transparency enables them to better understand their strengths, areas for improvement, and the steps they need to take to achieve their learning goals.

“At the end of their study, they have one big overview of everything they have done during the study, per learning outcome, per level, and what they have done. For themselves, we can see it, but they can see it.” – Jort Harmsen

Streamlined Feedback and Assessment

For faculty, the new approach has significantly streamlined the feedback and assessment process. With all the relevant data points and feedback centralized in the dashboard, faculty can efficiently track student progress, provide targeted guidance, and make informed decisions about the learner's development.

“We have detailed rubrics to assess those data points holistically, but also on learning outcome level, linked to data points, and it's all in one place. So they (students) have an instant overview of where they are in their learning.” – Jort Harmsen

Scalable and Sustainable Solution

The programmatic assessment model and developmental portfolios have proven to be a scalable and sustainable solution for NHL Stenden. As the university has expanded its implementation across different programs and year levels, the system has demonstrated its ability to adapt and accommodate the growing needs of the institution.

“The pilot with the FeedbackFruits portfolio has escalated into the whole school. Everybody is looking at it. Everybody wants it because there are more academies working on pragmatic assessments and finding alternative solutions to the existing clunky portfolios.” – Jort Harmsen

Lessons learned and future considerations

While NHL Stenden's journey with programmatic assessment and developmental portfolios has been a resounding success, the university has also encountered some challenges and lessons along the way:

Importance of a Solid Foundation

Jort Harmsen emphasizes the significance of having a well-defined and well-written set of learning outcomes as the foundation for the programmatic assessment model. This solid foundation ensures that the linkages between student performances, feedback, and learning outcomes are clear and meaningful.

Iterative Development and Continuous Improvement

The implementation of this new approach has been an iterative process, with NHL Stenden continuously refining and enhancing the system based on feedback and evolving needs. The university has recognized the importance of being open to feedback, embracing user-driven improvements, and maintaining a flexible and adaptable mindset.

Balancing Standardization and Customization

While the programmatic assessment model provides a standardized framework, NHL Stenden has also acknowledged the need for some level of customization to accommodate the unique requirements of different programs and disciplines. Striking the right balance between standardization and customization is an ongoing challenge that the university continues to navigate.

Ongoing Professional Development and Support

Implementing a transformative assessment approach requires a significant investment in faculty and staff development. NHL Stenden has recognized the importance of providing comprehensive training, resources, and ongoing support to ensure a smooth transition and successful adoption of the new system.

NHL Stenden's journey with programmatic assessment and developmental portfolios serves as a shining example of how higher education institutions can embrace innovation and put the student experience at the forefront. By leveraging technology, streamlining administrative processes, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, the university has created a model that empowers students, enhances transparency, and sets the stage for a more engaging and effective learning environment.