Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

The evaluation of student work is something that every collegiate academic unit does on a regular basis. Much of that evaluation is to determine a student’s earned grade per assignment and/or class. Classes and assignments typically have specific competencies leading into an overarching Student Learning Objective (SLO) or Course Learning Objective (CLO). Accrediting bodies provide competency standards on what a student should know upon graduation, but do those standards apply to students earlier in their career? The National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) has standards for graduates and also requires a formal review of student work prior to 60 credits, the end of the second year of study. “…member institutions must require portfolio reviews or other evaluations consistent with the purpose of the degree….” Not all standards for graduation directly apply to students in their first- and second-years of study and portfolios may not indicate a true level of competency as many students may not have software proficiency. That being the case, what is the purpose of the review and how can it benefit the student prior to graduation? This paper will document a formal review process beginning in the Fall semester of 2018 to the present, how it was originally developed, how it has undergone revisions, and how it can be of more value to the students.