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Purdue University Calumet is partnering with a Michigan-based technology company to help students develop multi-media online portfolios. The school says the deal with Seelio will give potential employers immediate access to student projects and publications. The university says experiential learning is a requirement for all undergraduates, so the portfolio will allow them to display what they have learned in real-world situations.

Seelio was founded in 2011. Its other partnerships include the University of Michigan, Ohio University's Scripps College of Communication and the University of Toledo.

The partnership comes at a time that the school is preparing for a significant structural change. In July, Purdue Calumet will combine with Purdue University North Central to create Purdue University Northwest. Purdue has launched a search for the unified campus' first chancellor.

May 18, 2015

News Release

Hammond, Ind. — Career-minded Purdue University Calumet students intent on impressing prospective employers with the fruits of their Purdue education will be able to do so in a more revealing and accessible manner, thanks to a new high tech resource that goes beyond the traditional r?sum?.

Purdue Calumet has contracted with educational service provider Seelio to enable students to showcase their academic accomplishments and provide immediate access to projects and publications via multi-media online portfolios. Essentially, students will be able to use their portfolio to readily demonstrate successful hands-on learning.

With experiential learning a requirement of all Purdue Calumet undergraduates, the opportunity for students to present evidence of related learning they have applied effectively in a real world environment is important, according to Peggy Gerard, Purdue Calumet vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost.

Portfolio of successful learning

“Students who develop an online portfolio can distinguish themselves by capturing evidence of their successful learning,” she said. “Within a competitive job market, students can use such a portfolio effectively during an interview to show employers in an easy to access manner real examples of their educational achievements and application.”

Since September 2014, students in experiential learning courses have been using Seelio to document learning and bring their skills to life with rich, digital portfolios. More than 300 students in disciplines from nursing to engineering have created 1,400+ pieces of content on Seelio, showcasing the unique aspects of experiential learning at Purdue Calumet.

In addition to making it easier for students to capture in-class learning, Purdue Calumet also has leveraged Seelio to connect students with regional industry partners at university events like Technology Day and gatherings of academic and industry leaders.

Presenting to prospective employers

Junior Matthew Dombrowski was offered the opportunity to present his portfolio to 14 industry leaders at the College of Technology's Dean’s Executive Council meeting last fall.

“The opportunity to actually show future employers my work instead of trying to explain it to them on a r?sum? is truly amazing,” Dombrowski said. “It really gives people in fields like mine the chance to showcase their best work and actually show people what they are capable of doing.”

Going forward, students in Purdue Calumet’s College of Business; College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science; College of Technology; College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences; and Honors College will have access to Seelio’s technology and services. Opportunities are expected to expand to additional students over the next four years.

Connecting learning experiences with learning objectives

Purdue Calumet also will be able to collect students’ learning experiences and map them against learning objectives to better understand how curricula of various programs are preparing students to be successful.

Seelio CEO and Cofounder Moses Lee said, “We know how important it is to prepare students for success. That’s why we’re excited to partner with Purdue Calumet so students across campus can prepare for their careers from day one and graduate with the ability to present and showcase their important experiential learning.”

Source: Purdue University Calumet

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