Search

This paper presents results from a study which tested the validity of a conceptual model which proposes six dimensions of integrative knowledge and learning that result from students engaging in the core activities associated with the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process and Generative Knowledge Interviewing. These methods facilitate learning experiences that help students to identify, connect, synthesize and demonstrate knowledge and skills they are gaining from all areas of life. Six hundred and twenty students (both traditional and non-traditional) from 14 different learning environments across two campuses responded to pre/post surveys before and after they engaged with these methods. Results showed that students made significant gains on all six dimensions of integrative knowledge and learning which resulted in their increased capacity to: 1. identify, demonstrate and adapt knowledge gained within/across different contexts; 2. adapt to differences (i.e. in people and situations) in order to create solutions; 3. understand and direct oneself as a learner; 4. become a reflexive, accountable, and relational learner; 5. identify and discern one's own and others' perspectives; and 6. develop a professional digital identity. Students' gains on these dimensions were significant regardless of their academic discipline, race/ethnicity, gender, year in school or the type of learning environment in which they engaged with the Integrative Knowledge Portfolio Process.

Experts and leaders within most fields possess knowledge that is largely tacit and unconscious in nature. The leaders of most organizations do not "know what they know" and cannot share their knowledge with others. The loss of this essential knowledge is of major concern to organizations. This study tested an innovative method of tacit knowledge retrieval known as Generative Knowledge Interviewing with a small group of fund-raising experts at the University of Michigan. The results demonstrated that the tacit knowledge of a retiring leader could be successfully retrieved, documented and fully transferred to new leaders in several interview sessions. It illustrates how visionary leaders and managers within the fund-raising organization now use both the expert knowledge and the knowledge retrieval method to enhance talent management efforts from upper level management to interns in the nationally-recognized and award-winning Development Summer Internship Program. The findings of this study are applicable to leadership development as well as knowledge and talent management efforts within and beyond higher education.

For students in many professional programs, their written work remains the chief means for them to convey their understanding and application of material presented in the classroom. Within their papers are applications of learning objectives or competencies. However, when students are asked to aggregate their acquisition of competencies, or if the school would like to know which competencies students are acquiring, then we are immediately confronted with the fact that the data within these papers is locked up in proprietary data formats, e.g., .doc. This article describes our proof-of-concept research wherein we asked students to "tag" their work with specific competencies via XML and retrieved that data using a database management system.

Portfolios can foster the integration of theory, action, self-reflection, and assessment. Electronic portfolios (ePortfolios) extend this concept by acting as a "content-management system" that facilitates the collecting, considering, sharing, and presenting of learning outcomes with and to others via a digital medium. This article describes the systematic examination of an ePortfolio application under development and illustrates its potential usefulness to not only facilitate and assess individual student learning, but also aid curricular assessment. Our evaluation uncovered organizational, curricular, learning, logistical, and technological issues involved in moving from a linear approach to teaching and learning toward an integrated systems approach. (Contains 2 figures and 1 table.)

Like many other institutions, we have been working to develop new ways to educate our students to be flexible lifelong learners and leaders capable of responding to a world of [...]

The article discusses the adoption of Association of American Colleges and Universities' (AAC&U) Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) by the University of Michigan (UM). It states that UM adopted UM to their mission and goals to develop an assessment instrument that is used on two campuses and across multiple colleges within Michigan. It notes that the adoption of VALUE rubrics has resulted in the award of Fund for Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE) grant that will allow further development and testing through a six-campus consortium.