Eportfolio Tools:
Over the last two years I have used and searched for different methods to house my own curriculum. I didn't matter to me if it was web based, software or even a wiki site. Sadly, I would start on each and find out that it wasn't capable of doing everything I needed. Even though I have spent many hours creating and designing it would soon be abandoned because of the limits placed on the user. For my portfolio I have compared, wikis, websites and eportfolio vendors.
Wiki's that I have used in the past are no longer working. I tried WetPaint.com but it really seems geared in a different direction than educational use. I really don't know how many late night surfers I'd like to find my information. Also, the look of this particular wiki board just doesn't appeal to me.
Portfoliogen.com almost won me over until I realized that I need more pages (or tabs) than it allows on their free version. It does allow some customization such as color and background that was nice.
Livebinder.com has a real notebook feel to it. I like it. I do use it for some projects, but again, there are limitations on how much you can upload for free. I don't know about you but I do not want to get hours into something and then be limited or forced to pay.
For now, I am sticking with the Blogspot.com. This site offers what I need and I am used to it. What I like most about it is that I will "own" it or it will be easily accessible to me no matter where I am or how old I am.
Folio Thinking:
When I think back to my first portfolio four inches thick, in colors that were carefully selected and thought out, I have to smile. I was new to the field of Education, energetic and well... inexperienced. I must admit that I am happy that portfolio's are now web based, but either way this collection of personal educational items serve many purposes. Having a portfolio that you spend time creating, maintaining, and reviewing is somewhat like having your very own personal adviser. It is a sort of professional development where you are the presenter and the audience. When I think about having a portfolio I get a little antsy, mostly because I am a perfectionist. I have to remember to break it into small chunks to get started and then simply continue to update it on a regular basis. Since I believe that portfolios make us a little more vulnerable and transparent, who wouldn't want theirs to be fabulous? It's somewhat like your claim to fame, your very own go-to source. So why shouldn't we make it GREAT? It's a place I will revisit several times a year to reflect, remind, revamp or just giggle.
Now, of course these are my personal feelings about a portfolio. Do I feel the same way about a test? EWW, no way! An essay?? Definitely not! (Not to over use the exclamation points but, Definitely NOT!!!!!) Comparing portfolios to tests, essays, quizzes, or any other types of assessment, think about it for a minute, portfolios are work you have already completed. The only thing left is to assemble, arrange, decorate your portfolio with your work. Why wouldn't we love that? Unless you just like to study of course. I'd rather study about ways to grow, get better at what I do, continue my learning and leading my learners.
As a student myself, I would much rather articulate what I know to be true rather than be taught the test. Exploring is so much more fun than memorizing or studying a hand-out. I feel as if I learn more by hands on learning, So, although information identified and received by professors is very important because it guides our learning, by telling us what we need to know. However, telling what we know and showing proof through educational artifacts is evidence of our learning. Showing growth in each and every learner is our goal.
The difference between physical and electronic portfolios are vast. True, they both serve the same purpose. They both allow us to reflect, review, revise, revamp, reuse or make refuse out of an artifact. Conversely, paper portfolios must be within reach. Choosing an electronic portfolio enables that you can reach it with a smartphone or wifi connection basically, always at your fingertips. Many of us have admitted to recycling our previously made paper portfolios. Quite simply, they are bulky and take up precious space in our homes or classrooms. Seriously, that would be embarrassing to lug around to interviews, summatives or anywhere other than the dumpster. The ease of sharing a link with prospective employers, team members, class-mates or professors far outweigh the idea of the big bulky binder.
My own students use blogspot.com to create their portfolios of their digital work. My only concern and drawback of this feature is that it allows other students to copy and paste from one student website to another. Honestly, I have not sat down to attempt to tackle or solve this problem as of now. Students blog, and I grade directly from their blog. This allows me to grade from home, the doctors waiting room or while I am a passenger in the car. Blogs have changed my life as a teacher and grading.
As you can decipher, I am a fan of blogspot.com. I am familiar with it and know that if I need to change something, I can go into HTML mode and push out what I need it to be. Although I rarely have needed to, knowing it's there and there are not as many limits makes me blogging happy.
Here is a link to my portfolio: Leigh Moreno's Eportfolio
