Utilization of the Student Portfolio to Link Professional Preparation to the Responsibilities and Competencies of the Entry Level Health Educator

Student portfolios can be utilized in undergraduate health education professional preparation programs to assist students in developing the skills described in the Responsibilities and Competencies of an Entry Level Health Educator. In addition, the portfolio can be used to help students relate classroom assignments and activities to the skills they will need as practicing health educators. The student portfolio at Illinois State University was initiated in an attempt to reflect the integration of the Responsibilities and Competencies into the curriculum. Data concerning student and faculty perceptions of the portfolio process were collected during the first year of implementation. Perceptions from both students and faculty were favorable and indicated that students were better able to link assignments to the Responsibilities and Competencies. Overall, faculty believed that there were more benefits than concerns in using the student portfolio.