NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios -

NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Sample Answer for NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios Included After Question

In the realm of marketing, a successful branding strategy is one of the most important contributors to organizational success. A solid branding strategy can help add visibility and credibility to a company’s products.

Similarly, nurse-scholars can build a personal brand to add visibility and credibility to their work. You can begin building your brand by developing and maintaining an academic portfolio. Such an activity can help share the results of your efforts and contribute to your success. This Module’s Discussion asks you to consider and share strategies for building your portfolio.

To Prepare:

Reflect on strategies that you can pursue in developing portfolios or portfolio elements that focus on academic achievements.
Review one or more samples from your own research of resources focused on portfolio development.

By Day 3 of Week 8

Post an explanation of at least two strategies for including academic activities and accomplishments into your professional development goals. Then, explain how those goals may align with the University’s emphasis on social change. Be specific and provide examples.

By Day 6 of Week 8

Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts by offering additional ideas regarding academic achievements to include or offering alternative ways of presenting the current achievements.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 8 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6 of Week 8

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 8 Discussion

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Title: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Your post mentioning advancement of your own academic development and deeper learning really resonated with the idea of participating in clinical research, which is what I would like to mention as an addition to support your stated goals. It comes with a myriad of it’s own unique challenges, as roughly 70% APRNs report hesitance to participate in clinical research due to concerns with randomization, informed consent, and patient burden (Ulrich, et al., 2012) but this pathway lines up very well with your goal of obtaining deeper knowledge – the data and conclusions that will be collected will often be considered novel, and being able to have impact on the research process means influencing the research process to be up to your personal standards (whatever that may look like) – just some food for thought going forward possibly!

I wanted to offer some additional specific ideas to elaborate on your thoughts about e-portfolios. I believe what you describe in your post may resemble some existing websites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, or ZipRecuiter. I could be wrong if you are referring to medical-based e-portfolios exclusively. If you have not viewed some of these three websites mentioned prior, they offer services to create one’s own digital representation of one’s academic and professional experience, akin to an old fashioned portfolio. To quote a portion of the Ziprecruiter mission statement, “we empower job seekers with the tools they need to stand out and get hired. Like a personal recruiter, we track down relevant opportunities in our marketplace, proactively pitch job seekers to hiring managers at top companies, and deliver status updates along the way” (ZipRecuiter Staff, 2022).

In the competitive environment today, many businesses depend on creating a strong brand to give identity to their product in order to stand out among others (Jones, 2021). In the same way, creating and maintaining an academic portfolio would assist an MSN scholar to model her personal achievements and show how credible she is at her work. Creation of nurses’ portfolio is necessary for promotion of self-competencies and accomplishments to future employer or current manager (Burns, 2018). According to Burns (2018), nurses’ portfolio is shown as evidence to the accrediting bodies, credentialing boards, and regulatory agencies, as well as for direction of the nurses’ attention to any area in the portfolio that needs attention.

There are different strategies for including academic activities and accomplishments into your professional development goals. E-portfolio is becoming popular strategy in use as most organizations and potential employers are currently using electronic documents to manage data. This can be done through the use of some social media like the LinkedIn or even creation of personal website. In this situation, information such as certifications or continuing education is edited into an electronic resume, paper documents are scanned into the program, a copy is saved in an electronic medium such as compact disc or the google doc, and the file is backed-up regularly (Burns, 2018).

Another strategy is ensuring that your information in the portfolio is discreet, verifiable, and concise. According to Burns (2018), the documents are collated, appearing in a chronological order starting with most recent with the demographic data on the cover page, updated regularly in a formal professional plain three ring binder portfolio. Considering the career goal and employment expectation, the works are summarized yearly.

Walden University is now 50 years and before now, she has always had the intension of focusing on fostering social change by promoting accessibility to advanced education, using research to solve imminent problems globally, and educating scholar practitioners in many fields beyond its 50 years anniversary (Walden University, 2017). As a student scholar, the goal is to acquire knowledge and expertise in advanced degree level, adding more strength to the portfolio and effecting a change in the society in alignment with Walden vision for a social change. My goal at the end of MSN program is that I would be one of the agents of social change in the society in accordance with Walden University vision.

References

Burns, M. K. (2018). Creating a Nursing Portfolio. Ohio Nurses Review, 93(3), 16–17. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=134145921&site=eds-live&scope=site

Jones, K. (2021). The Importance of Branding in Business. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2021/03/24/the-importance-of-branding-in-business/?sh=73b1586c67f7

Walden University. (2017). Walden 2020: A Vision for Social Change 2017 Report. https://www.waldenu.edu/-/media/walden/files/about-walden/walden-university-2017-social-change-report-final-v-2.pdf?rev=5ded98a6d84e4a0096d02c9ec0f458af&hash=3CBA4D20AF7FA7F23BC21D69B2A9EB37

A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Title: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Thank you for sharing information about professional portfolios. You are correct in that the professional portfolio presents all of your accomplishments and credentials in an organized fashion. It really helps to capture your professional life

Dorothy, great information that you shared. I agree with what you had said about both academic and professional portfolios. It is known that there are many reasons to begin an electronic portfolio. The main reasons are self-promotion, evidence of outcomes, and structure and direction. Self-promotion would include your competencies and accomplishments. Evidence of outcomes would consist of accrediting bodies and credentialing boards of nursing competencies. You would want to put your educational background and current licensures here. Lastly, structure and direction are the collections of the documents in the portfolio to identify practice and needing attention. This is where goal setting should take place and be reevaluated every 6-12 months (Burns, 2018). Developing a portfolio is a professional requirement, especially for advanced practice registered nurses. Portfolio information is important to maintain your professional requirements and be sure they are up to date. This way, portfolios have the potential to be utilized as a tool that is easily accessible to help support career changes and meet professional obligations (Casey & Egan, 2010).

References

Burns, M. K. (2018). Creating a Nursing Portfolio. Ohio Nurses Review, 93(3), 16–17.

Casey DC, & Egan D. (2010). The use of professional portfolios and profiles for career enhancement. British Journal of Community Nursing, 15(11), 547–552.

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A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Title: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Professional portfolios are becoming a very popular way for employers to evaluate a nurse is experience and progress. They are considered structured evidence that demonstrate an individual is ability to meet their profession’s standards for practice, including an indication of the professional’s vision of future growth and capacity building (Walden University, 2018)). Because of its growing importance, nurses should ensure that they keep their portfolio current and up to date. Every nursing scholar must first create a professional portfolio before moving from student to professional graduate roles. For the purpose of showcasing their accomplishments and scholarly pursuits, students must have an academic portfolio.

One of the strategic I intent to use in enhancing my portfolio is to show materials that highlight my academic achievements. Nursing scholars must incorporate their existing skills and knowledge into the development of their professional portfolios (Henderson, Davis, & Day, 2018, p.353). As a Walden master’s degree student, I would love to showcase the projects and assignments that would help show my academic activities and accomplishments that I completed so far in the program of study. The plans and tasks that would be shown would be divided into sections of individual assignments, professional development (which includes development projects and specialized research), classroom involvement, and research. It is essential that, as a scholar, I do research and understand the professional practitioner market to build a portfolio that reflects any changes in the market (Jung & Kim, 2017, p.765).

Another strategy I will employ for my professional portfolio is to keep track of all my academic achievements and activities online. According to research, using an online or electronic portfolio can help students achieve more in the classroom (Ahmed & Ward, 2019). To achieve this, I will put everything for my portfolio together in a Google Doc. With Google Doc, I can use a computer to review various parts of my documents whenever and wherever I want. Google Doc regularly saves work, so I don’t have to worry if my computer’s battery runs out of power or if my internet connection is interrupted. In all, using the strategies mentioned above will be helpful because it will show what I have accomplished and what I can contribute in any given professional situation.

References

Ahmed, E., & Ward, R. (2019). Analysis of factors influencing acceptance of personal, academic professional development e-portfolios. Computers in Human Behavior, 63.

Henderson, J., Davis, R., & Day, T. (2018). Developing portfolios to document student performance and accomplishments. NACTA Journal, 59(4), 353.

Jung, J., Kim, S. (2017) Developing a dynamic portfolio selection model with a self-adjusted rebalancing method. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 68, 765.

Walden University. (2018). Curriculum vitae guide: Build your curriculum vitae.

A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Title: NURS 6003 Wk 8 Discussion Strategies for Academic Portfolios

Portfolios are essential as they describe what an employer would expect from a potential employee. Therefore, considering that many people may present their applications for a given job position, having a rich portfolio will entice the recruiting officer to consider one’s application (Jorre de St Jorre & Oliver, 2017).

The first strategy to focus on is highlighting the academic qualifications including any existing special training. For example, I will pursue a leadership course to enhance my leadership skills. Employers are always looking for leaders who are creative and innovative to add value to their organization. Furthermore, there are greater interests in translational research and so pursuing such short-term courses will add value to my portfolio. Portfolios are not just made for the sake, but, they must reflect what one possesses and can offer when given an opportunity. The translational research knowledge is important in addressing health issues in the nursing department as well as public health concerns. Secondly, getting the required experience is also important in portfolio development (Clarke & Boud, 2016). In my case, I will seek volunteer opportunities such as community health education and empowerment programs. Such will help me acquire relevant skills to be reflected in the portfolio.

The Walden University emphasizes social change and so it equips the learners with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The strategies outlined in the portfolio development focuses on community empowerment through translational research and leadership. Such skills are important in policy development and formulation that improves the health outcomes among the targeted populations (Northcut, Armfield & Adkins,  2018). Additionally, they help in creating a conducive working environment that fosters the best experiences among the patients. I will organize the portfolio using Google forms to make it presentable and appealing to potential employers.

References

Clarke, J. L., & Boud, D. (2016). Refocusing portfolio assessment: Curating for feedback and portrayal. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 55(4), 479-486. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2016.1250664

Jorre de St Jorre, T., & Oliver, B. (2017). Want students to engage? Contextualize graduate learning outcomes and assess for employability. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(1), 44-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2017.1339183

Northcut, K., Armfield, D., & Adkins, K. (2018). Portfolio assessment and certification: Three cases in academic program administration. 2018 IEEE International Professional Communication Conference (ProComm). https://doi.org/10.1109/procomm.2018.00055

Grading Rubric Guidelines

Performance Category	10	9	8	4	0
Scholarliness Demonstrates achievement of scholarly inquiry for professional and academic decisions.	Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry clearly stating how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions Evaluates literature resources to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis. Uses valid, relevant, and reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion	Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry but does not clearly state how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions. Evaluates information from source(s) to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis. Uses some valid, relevant, reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion.	Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions. Information is taken from source(s) with some interpretation/evaluation, but not enough to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis. Little valid, relevant, or reliable outside sources are used to contribute to the threaded discussion. Demonstrates little or no understanding of the topic.	Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions. Information is taken from source(s) without any interpretation/evaluation. The posting uses information that is not valid, relevant, or reliable	No evidence of the use of scholarly inquiry to inform or change professional or academic decisions. Information is not valid, relevant, or reliable
Performance Category	10	9	8	4	0
Application of Course Knowledge – Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles and concepts learned in the course lesson and outside readings and relate them to real-life professional situations	Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources; Applies concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life.	Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources. Applies concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life Interactions with classmates are relevant to the discussion topic but do not make direct reference to lesson content	Posts are generally on topic but do not build knowledge by incorporating concepts and principles from the lesson. Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life Does not demonstrate a solid understanding of the principles and concepts presented in the lesson	Posts do not adequately address the question posed either by the discussion prompt or the instructor’s launch post. Posts are superficial and do not reflect an understanding of the lesson content Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life	Posts are not related to the topics provided by the discussion prompt or by the instructor; attempts by the instructor to redirect the student are ignored No discussion of lesson concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life
Performance Category	5	4	3	2	0
Interactive Dialogue Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days. *(5 points possible per graded thread)*	Exceeds minimum post requirements Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts three or more times in each graded thread, over three separate days. Replies to a post posed by faculty and to a peer Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.	Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days Replies to a question posed by a peer Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.	Meets expectations of 2 posts on 2 different days. The main post is not made by the Wednesday deadline Does not reply to a question posed by a peer or faculty	Has only one post for the week Discussion posts contain few, if any, new ideas or applications; often are a rehashing or summary of other students’ comments	Does not post to the thread No connections are made to the topic
	Minus 1 Point	Minus 2 Point	Minus 3 Point	Minus 4 Point	Minus 5 Point
Grammar, Syntax, APA Note: if there are only a few errors in these criteria, please note this for the student in as an area for improvement. If the student does not make the needed corrections in upcoming weeks, then points should be deducted. Points deducted for improper grammar, syntax and APA style of writing. The source of information is the APA Manual 6th Edition	2-3 errors in APA format. Written responses have 2-3 grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. Writing style is generally clear, focused, and facilitates communication.	4-5 errors in APA format. Writing responses have 4-5 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. Writing style is somewhat focused.	6-7 errors in APA format. Writing responses have 6-7 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. Writing style is slightly focused making discussion difficult to understand.	8-10 errors in APA format. Writing responses have 8-10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. Writing style is not focused, making discussion difficult to understand.	Post contains greater than 10 errors in APA format. Written responses have more than 10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. Writing style does not facilitate communication. The student continues to make repeated mistakes in any of the above areas after written correction by the instructor
	0 points lost				-5 points lost
Total Participation Requirements *per discussion thread*	The student answers the threaded discussion question or topic on one day and posts a second response on another day.				The student does not meet the minimum requirement of two postings on two different days
Early Participation Requirement *per discussion thread*	The student must provide a substantive answer to the graded discussion question(s) or topic(s), posted by the course instructor (not a response to a peer), by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week.				The student does not meet the requirement of a substantive response to the stated question or topic by Wednesday at 11:59 pm MT.