FIPSE Project Directors
December 17, 2003
Meeting Minutes
Next Project Director’s Meeting is scheduled for Thursday February 26th at Charter Oak
State College at 10:00. For those of you who attend CTDLC Membership meetings, we
have scheduled it for the same day and place. The membership meeting starts at 1:00. We
will talk about lunch arrangements later.
Attendance:
Steve Goetchius
Kathy Fox
Carl Antonnuci
Sandra Valente
Paul Rosenberg
TRCC
NCCC
CCC
NVCC
TPU
Judy Bufflolino
Cathy Manly
Diane Goldsmith
Carolyn Rogers
UCONN
NCC
CTDLC
CTDLC
1. Technology-Literacy Assessment
 Cathy Manly led a discussion, updating the technological-literacy assessment pre-pilot.
Some of the questions on the test have been reordered to try and reduce some of the
confusion students reported during the pre-pilot. The test should be ready January 5,
3004 for the pilot


Feedback- each institution reported on their experiences pre-piloting the test:
o TRCC- plans on offering the test after other placement tests have been
completed. Some of the students who took the test didn’t understand what a new
browser window was. It was acknowledged that rewording this might make it
clearer. We will need to continue to work on how to present this part of the test.
o NVCC- some students get into a loop when they can’t find a file or open up a
new browser, wiping out their previous work. Again, we need to look at
clarifying the browser window directions in the test.
o TPU- is piloting the test with 5 students this coming Saturday.
o UCONN- plans on piloting the test with new online students.
o MCC- reported that 7 out of 9 students had difficulty with the test. It was
particularly difficult for one of their ESL students. It was noted that we need to
be aware of this, making sure the test is testing computer skills and not a student’s
reading skills. MCC also learned that they need to set a time limit for the test.
One student took 45 minutes to take the test. It is not feasible for the testing
center to allot this much time for this test. In addition to the CTDLC test, MCC
will be testing the SAM’s test. No other institution is going to be using this test at
this time.
o NCCC- reported some of the same confusion as others.
Diane announced that the database would be pulled for assessment during the last week
of January. None of the currently available data has been analyzed because much of it is
junk data: tests that were taken for training and internal testing.
1


Faculty and staff who want to preview the test can do so, using the word “Guest” as their
first name and “1234” for their password. This will enable us to delete this data when
analyzing the results.
The Executive Committee was shown the Technology Literacy test and expressed
interest.
2. e-Portfolio
 ePortfolio piloting- one comment of feedback was shared regarding the flexibility of the
ePortfolio. Some users thought it would be helpful to have more choices for what
different individuals could view on their guest page. As it exists now, the guest page
looks that same for every viewer. It was suggested it would be helpful to be able to have
different guest pages, designed with specific visitors in mind. Diane said this might be
possible, but any changes will not be in the new version of the ePortfolio, which will be
up and functioning the week of January 12th. Any major changes to the current design
will be in the summer release.

ePortfolio Implementation Plans - each institution has been asked to submit
implementation plans. Diane passed out the plans submitted by Charter Oak State
College, Northwestern CC, Quinnipiac University, and Teikyo Post University. Other
implementation plans are due to Diane as soon as possible. Implementation plans
should have been created in consultation with as many departments of the college as
possible, but especially areas concerned with advising, career counseling, and
assessment.

The updated ePortfolio will be available at the following site:
http://web.ctdlc.org/eportfolio
3. Moving these projects on you campus
 FIPSE’s criteria for success depends on implementation- the FIPSE standards for
success are focused on how well we infiltrate the institutions with our work, and then
how far we go beyond the institutions.

Please start to think about planning a spring meeting on your campus with Diane. She
will work with you, present to key stakeholders, facilitate planning, whatever you think
she can do to help implement the use of these initiatives at your institution.
4. June 4 – Conference
 This year’s conference will focus mostly on the ePortfolio
o Assessment- we need to use the ePortfolio to ask students what they are doing in
their work and why. Help them to articulate what they have learned. Consider
using an example of a student’s ePortfolio from one of the pilot projects.
o Using it for Advising/Career strategies- we will look at how the ePortfolio can
support the work of advising and career professionals. Look at how it can be a
tool to help students clarify their interests, goals, plan of study, etc.
2