Our objectives were to develop a model of student portfolios that simultaneously promotes student learning, provides useful outcomes assessment data, and is logistically feasible. From our pilot test of three portfolio models, we conclude that requiring students in selected courses to complete portfolio entries solves most of the logistics problems associated with a large‐scale portfolio plan. Such entries can promote learning by providing a focus for career and educational planning discussions between students and faculty academic advisors. Course faculty are probably in the best position to use the outcomes assessment data obtained from the entries.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Accreditation under Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC 2000)requires institutions 1) to define engineering unit and program missions in such a way that success of the mission goals may be measured; 2) to devise a curriculum that fulfills institutional, program, and EC 2000 goals for students and graduates; 3) to devise metrics that indicate when students meet these goals; and 4) to construct feedback mechanisms to ensure that the assessment of student outcomes metrics drive continuous improvement of the whole educational system. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) was one of the first two institutions to undergo accreditation under EC 2000 because of WPI's project-based curriculum which provided some experience with each of the four EC 2000 requirements above. This article reviews how WPI prepared for the EC 2000 visit (which occurred in November 1996), discusses what strategies for conducting an EC 2000 visit worked well, and concludes with some short-and long-term issues that all institutions must address to realize the full benefits of EC 2000.