Spring Break
Electronic Writing Portfolio submissions go electronic
Emily Zulz/Administration editor
Issue date: 9/9/08 Section: News
Changes made to the Electronic Writing Portfolio become effective today.
Students will now be able to submit papers online from any course. The paper must be at least 750 words long and in standard English.
"The guidelines for the new EWP are more flexible and student-friendly," said Karla Sanders, director of the Center for Academic Support and Achievement.
The new guidelines are a result of work done by the Committee on the Assessment of Student Learning and were passed by the Council on Academic Affairs.
CASL determined that some changes were needed based on student and faculty feedback.
"We have tried to make the new system address the major issues that were voiced by students and faculty," Sanders said.
One of those changes is papers from previous semesters will no longer be accepted.
"One of the complaints that we heard from faculty was that students put off this requirement and would come back a semester or two after the faculty member had assigned and graded the paper," Sanders said.
With the new system, students are required to submit a paper the semester in which they are enrolled. After the semester ends, papers from those semesters can not be submitted.
She said since no specific courses are required for students to submit from, students will have an easier time choosing papers each semester.
"The former EWP required students to submit from specific courses at specific points in their education," Sanders said. "The revisions do not make this demand."
With the new EWP, students and faculty log on to a new system created by the Center for Academic Technology Services with their EIU login and password.
"They can access the system from any computer with Internet access at any time," Sanders said.
Students will upload their papers and then faculty will rate the papers completely online. Automatic e-mails will be sent each Friday to faculty members who have papers to rate.
"Among things they did with the new program, they actually made it electronic," said Blair Lord, provost and vice president of student affairs, "It's called the Electronic Writing Portfolio but remember you had to take copies down to Ninth Street to put it in electronically."
He said it was always desired to adopt an electronic system, and it became possible with the new system.
Another change is just three submissions are required for the portfolio.
Lord said the EWP has been part of general education for eight to ten years.
He said there were a lot of discussions on how well it has served its purpose and succeeded in teaching students to write well.
As a result of those discussions, CASL and CASA looked at ways to improve the EWP.
"There was a faculty survey done by CASL and that was used to consider alternatives and make widespread discussions," Lord said.
Lord said discussions on the EWP would continue. "We'll try it for a few years and see if it's working satisfactorily or if it needs to be tweaked again."
Eastern's website has a page where students can provide feedback, also.
Emily Zulz can be reached at 581-7942 or at eazulz@eiu.edu.
Students will now be able to submit papers online from any course. The paper must be at least 750 words long and in standard English.
"The guidelines for the new EWP are more flexible and student-friendly," said Karla Sanders, director of the Center for Academic Support and Achievement.
The new guidelines are a result of work done by the Committee on the Assessment of Student Learning and were passed by the Council on Academic Affairs.
CASL determined that some changes were needed based on student and faculty feedback.
"We have tried to make the new system address the major issues that were voiced by students and faculty," Sanders said.
One of those changes is papers from previous semesters will no longer be accepted.
"One of the complaints that we heard from faculty was that students put off this requirement and would come back a semester or two after the faculty member had assigned and graded the paper," Sanders said.
With the new system, students are required to submit a paper the semester in which they are enrolled. After the semester ends, papers from those semesters can not be submitted.
She said since no specific courses are required for students to submit from, students will have an easier time choosing papers each semester.
"The former EWP required students to submit from specific courses at specific points in their education," Sanders said. "The revisions do not make this demand."
With the new EWP, students and faculty log on to a new system created by the Center for Academic Technology Services with their EIU login and password.
"They can access the system from any computer with Internet access at any time," Sanders said.
Students will upload their papers and then faculty will rate the papers completely online. Automatic e-mails will be sent each Friday to faculty members who have papers to rate.
"Among things they did with the new program, they actually made it electronic," said Blair Lord, provost and vice president of student affairs, "It's called the Electronic Writing Portfolio but remember you had to take copies down to Ninth Street to put it in electronically."
He said it was always desired to adopt an electronic system, and it became possible with the new system.
Another change is just three submissions are required for the portfolio.
Lord said the EWP has been part of general education for eight to ten years.
He said there were a lot of discussions on how well it has served its purpose and succeeded in teaching students to write well.
As a result of those discussions, CASL and CASA looked at ways to improve the EWP.
"There was a faculty survey done by CASL and that was used to consider alternatives and make widespread discussions," Lord said.
Lord said discussions on the EWP would continue. "We'll try it for a few years and see if it's working satisfactorily or if it needs to be tweaked again."
Eastern's website has a page where students can provide feedback, also.
Emily Zulz can be reached at 581-7942 or at eazulz@eiu.edu.
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