While comprehensive learner records are relatively new, some institutions are testing new forms of record design and documentation. Elon University researchers Caroline Dean Glover, Alexander Taylor, Rodney Parks, Amber Lin, and Bailee Castillo sought student creative design feedback to develop the Elon Experiences Transcript (EET), a CLR intended to capture undergraduate students co-curricular activities that are integral to Elon’s mission of experiential learning.
"Input from students is crucial to the development and utility of CLRs "
The researchers wrote in the latest College & University.
Elon’s study conducted three design thinking workshops eliciting students’ perspectives on designing a CLR. Each workshop included ten to thirteen student participants representing various majors. The four most frequently referenced experiences that students reported wanting to see reflected on the CLR were: class projects; internships; global education; and technical skills and certifications.
Students also critiqued the visual and design aspects of three other institutions’ CLRs. In addition, they provided feedback on the use of text and graphics, emphasizing the importance of choosing a visual layout and design that is easy to interpret and aesthetically appealing to the eye.
"[T]his study fostered student creativity and provided a team-oriented workspace that prompted excellent feedback from the student participants,” the researchers wrote. “These workshops provided us with valuable lessons to consider for future CLR development."
Other articles in this issue of C&U include:
Features
Job Satisfaction of Community College Deans by Maya Thomas Fernandez
An Interview with Eric Waldo by Jacqueline D. Elliott
An Interview with William Serrata by Alicia Moore
Responding to COVID-19 Series
Pandemic Scheduling: The Art of the Pivot by Jessica M Muehlberg, Sarah Cho, and Shunit Harpaz
“Community College Students and the Pandemic”: A Review of: Inside Higher Ed’s Special Report by Marisa Vernon White
Proactively Supporting Students during a Crisis by Abigail Benz, Calie Holden, and Misty Tollett
Commentary
100 Credits: My First Job as Registrar by Christopher Tremblay
Involving the Registrar and the Financial Aid Offices in Academic Program Decisions by Kenneth McGhee
International
Receiving Digital Documents Part 2 by Peggy Bell Hendrickson
Book Reviews
The History of College Affordability in the United States from Colonial Times to the Cold War reviewed by Kimberley Buster-Williams.
Life is in Transitions: Managing Change at Any Age reviewed by Tammy Aagard