Creating a Digital Portfolio

What’s in your personal collection? (junk drawer, memory box, scrapbook) Is there a difference between what you choose to save purposefully and things that you just can’t throw away? What did your parents save? What do you save of your own? Your students? Your own children? Why? (criteria)

What’s Your Story? Celebrations and stories of learning across your lifespan Kindergarten/First Grade Interview Portfolio; My Dad

Voice Digital storytelling Reflection Own voice Personality of author is evident Uniqueness

Meaning "The portfolio is a laboratory where students construct meaning from their accumulated experience." (Paulson & Paulson, 1991, p.5) 1. Storage 2. Workplace 3. Showcase

What Artifacts To Put In a Teacher Portfolio Align to teaching standards Content areas ISTE NETS Rubric

Artifacts

Jeremy Hiebert, 2006,

What is your portfolio philosophy? A standardized checklist of skills? (Positivist) A reflective story of deep learning? (Constructivist)

Purpose Drives the Product Audience Outcomes Delivery/Media Purpose Process Product

Purpose Working Portfolio –Portfolio as Process –Growth over time –Learning or reflection Presentation Portfolios –Portfolio as Product –Thematic –Documenting achievement of standards, goals or learning outcomes –Accountability or showcase Different kinds of portfolios for different purposes

Assessment What is the purpose of the portfolio? –Show growth over time –Document ongoing learning and professional development –Assessment – achievement of standards or goals –Employment (marketing) –Other

Formal Education – Assessment Portfolios Formative Summative When does assessment happen?

Portfolios in the Work Place Personnel evaluation Accreditation of prior learning (highly qualified) Professional (web design, arts, media)

Personal Family focused Junk drawers Memory boxes Photo albums Scrapbooks Artifacts Documented children’s learning over time Associated with a particular time/experience Acquisition of a new skills Feeling of accomplishment that give “witness to the story of our early school experiences.” Hebert, Elizabeth, “The Power of Portfolios:what children can teach us about learning and assessment”

Audience Who are the various audiences for the portfolio? –Students –Parents –Peers –Administrator –Potential employer

Creation of Learning Environment: Evaluations from students Photos demonstrating positive climate Notes, comments, reflections on classroom observations substitute teacher’s packet Understanding/Organizing Student Learning: Assessments & analysis of results Original lesson plan with adapted version of same lesson Thematic unit plan Samples of student work Plans demonstrating sensitivity to cultural & linguistic differences Bibliography of materials used for a unit Planning & Designing Learning Experiences for ALL Students Narratives & responses from classroom observations Video of lesson incorporating differentiation through groupings, technology Teacher narrative regarding decisions about modifying instruction to meet individual needs Student profiles with inventories reflecting an understanding of their unique learning needs Samples of student planners, handbooks used for helping them organize their work Narrative describing how teachers deals with students individually & collectively The Professional Portfolio

Engaging Students in Powerful Learning Samples of student work from a variety of levels & styles Lesson plans relating learning to real-life applications Lesson plans that highlight student participation in the design Video of large & small group instruction using a variety of teaching models Assessing Student Learning Examples of student portfolios Examples of student quick writes, learning logs, tests, journals, etc. Notes form observations of peer writing groups or other critiquing opportunities Variety of assessments with clarifications regarding their purposes, meaning, and functions Instructional plans that contain “check points” for authentic assessments Examples of student projects and rubrics for their evaluation Video showing teacher movement, observation, and feedback Videos of teacher stating expectations, giving directions, monitoring Evidence of specific oral and written feedback to students The Professional Portfolio

Developing Professionally to Improve Teaching & Learning Bibliography of recent readings, workshops, video, and audios related to teaching and professional growth and collaboration Tapes & summaries of conversations with colleagues in planning and updating expertise in content areas Tapes & summaries of conversations with colleagues in planning and updating expertise Information about innovations and technology used in subject areas Materials from workshops and seminars attended Plans and designs from team teaching meetings Records from school & classroom visits & observations Examples of conferences, meetings, and other participation in parent/community connections Evidence of extracurricular activities, demonstrating balance Evidence of participation in groups or experiences which support professional collaboration and/or professional development The Professional Portfolio

How Do I Get Started? – R-A-R Artifacts – 3 things for each 1.Rationale – reason to choose document 2.Assessment – how artifact shows evidence of knowledge 3.Reflection – reflect on learning gained

Format Choose a format the audience will most likely have access to. What applications will open without having to download expensive applications to view them? –PowerPoint – requires viewer if they don’t have Office –Photo Story – requires Windows Media Player –Adobe PDF – requires Adobe Reader –CD/DVD – Type of files/Links/Is it accessible?

Tips Use appropriate multimedia to add style and individuality. Save work in a format that can be easily used. Convert variety of files from “working portfolio” into Adobe Acrobat format (see free PrimoPDF.com)

You are ready to move ahead when.... You have a collection of digital portfolio artifacts that represent your efforts and achievement throughout the course of your learning experiences. personalityYou have used graphics and layout capability of the chosen software to put your personality into the portfolio artifacts. It is time to turn your collection into a portfolio.

Traditional + Technology Traditional Collecting Selecting artifacts Reflecting Directing Presenting Technology Archiving (storage) Thinking/Linking (mapping layout) Storytelling Collaborating (feedback) Publishing Hebert, Elizabeth “The Power of Portfolios; Barrett, Helen presentation, NCTE July 2008,

Process Teach students to become “Digital packrats” Owning a lifetime personal web space – digital archive Focus on collection of documents with reflection of learning over time Identify outcomes, goals or standards and select artifacts to demonstrate them with rational to justify their selection R-A-R Rationale-Artifact-Reflection

The Reflective Process Set up a recordkeeping system to keep track of evidence collected over time. (Excel spreadsheet, Table in Word, Pages in Wiki, Folders in PBWorks, Tabs in Protopage/Pageflakes) Reflective Statements for Each Artifact Review the reflective statements written for each artifact as it was stored, elaborating on its meaning and value and why you are selecting it for your presentation portfolio. Select the best artifacts that represent achievement of the standards or goals. From those reflections and feedback, set learning goals for the future.

The Reflective Process: 3 Simple Questions to Clarify 1. “What?” (first summarize the artifact that documents the experience) 2. “So what?” (reflect on what was learned and how this leads to meeting standard) 3. “Now what?” (address implications for future learning needed and set forth refinements or adaptations) – the process of setting future learning goals! (Campbell, Melenyzer, Nettles, & Wyman, (2000) based on Van Wagenen and Hibbard (1998) per Barrett (2002)

The Reflective Process “... become the architects of [your] own professional development.” Wolf (1996) Use portfolio for planning professional development Feedback Collaboration

Your are ready for the next stage when.... You have selected the artifacts that are going into your formal or presentation portfolio. You have written the reflective statements and identified learning goals for the future.

Organization/Tools How will you organize the digital artifacts? (links, tabs, pages, visual such as Inspiration, Glogster) How will you evaluate the portfolio’s effectiveness in light of its purpose and the assessment context? How will you use portfolio evidence to make instruction/learning decisions?

Web 2.0 Tools Hyperlinks Tags RSS Collaborative conversation (comments/ feedback)

Examples with Web 2.0 Tools Pageflakes Web Page (Weebly, Googlepages, Wiki) Wikispaces: It doesn’t get easier than wikispaces – free upgrade to educators – Start Here! LISD SharePoint Portal template– James H. Stronge’s criteria: Helen Barrett – the portfolio developer’s “bible”

Multimedia Include at least one 3-minute video clip demonstrating some aspect of your experience. Audio files See Podcasts for Teachers -Fordham

ePortfolios With what we know about social learning and activity... –How can you leverage the technologies students own? –Accessibility from home computers –Connectivity with cell phones

Student Portfolios Life space, expandable Free Private (password-protected) Easily accessible (not blocked!) Easy to edit, add content, handle media RSS (push content to teacher for ongoing collaboration & feedback) Multiple formats (package as PDF, CD/DVD, mobile)

Examples - High School Portfolios Examples of Online High School Portfolios –Mission High School (San Francisco) m m –Sackville High School (Canada) (Geo) ains.pl?school=shs ains.pl?school=shs Richer Picture Consulting (commercial) – links to different levels of portfolios

The Presentation – Public Face Present portfolio before an audience (real or virtual) Celebrate the accomplishments represented. Opportunity for professionals to share their teaching portfolios with colleagues Meaningful feedback and collaboration in self- assessment. “Public commitment” provides motivation to carry out the professional development plan of formative portfolio.

Evaluation Evaluate the portfolio’s effectiveness –Purpose –Assessment context –Continuous improvement – ongoing learning tool –Review on a regular basis –Is it meeting the goals set?

Web Tools for Lifelong & Life Wide Learning – Dr. Helen Barrett Online course about web 2.0 tools – How To Set Up a Portfolio Using Google Sites –Video clip definition: Dr. Barrett “Electronic Portfolios in Adult Learning” (Google video) –

Check Out These Links More Resources Graduation Portfolio Assessment and Focus Areas: a Program Guide from the British Columbia Department of Education o/ o/ Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators – Assessment Rubrics for Student Web Pages guide/assess.html guide/assess.html

Check Out These Links More Resources Teacher Vision – Portfolios for Students & Portfolio Assessment /teaching-methods/20153.html /teaching-methods/20153.html CETaL Sample Teaching Portfolios (higher ed) es/portfolios/samples.htm es/portfolios/samples.htm NMSU Digital Porfolios – see stations ml#intro ml#intro

Check Out These Links More Resources Coalition of Essential Schools – Getting Started with Digital Portfolios s/resources/dp/getstart.html s/resources/dp/getstart.html Eduscapes – Teacher Tap – Electronig Portfolios: Students, Teachers and Life Long Learners Alice Christie – It’s Elementary! Using Electronic Portfolios with Young Students Christie.pdf Christie.pdf

Check Out These Links More Resources Student Digital Portfolios (2004) – Julie Lindsay (ESL students) _portfolio.htm _portfolio.htm

References Barrett, Dr. Helen C., “Electronic Portfolios & Digital Storytelling for Lifelong and Life Wide Learning” – – – –Presentation, NCTE July 2008, –Hebert, Elizabeth, “The Power of Portfolios: what children can teach us about learning and assessment” –MOSEP: More Self-Esteem with my E-Portfolio (Idea: e-portfolios for young learners) –Paulson & Paulson, 1991, p.5 –Campbell, Melenyzer, Nettles, & Wyman, (2000) based on Van Wagenen and Hibbard (1998) (per Barrett) (2002) –Wolf, K. (1996). Developing an effective teaching portfolio. Educaitonal Leadership 53 (6), Larson, Linda, “Tools of the Trade: Scaffolding Digital Portfolios for Preservice Teachers,” AACTE, New Orleans, LA, Sunday, January 26, 2003, cteportfolio/portfolio.htm cteportfolio/portfolio.htm