Yolanda Abrenica
This report will define the meaning and use of electronic portfolios. It will answer questions as to the benefits and practicality of their use. An attempt will be made to guide beginners in creating an electronic portfolios by using a step by step instructions. The report will identify the equipment or technologies needed to accomplish such portfolios.
For educational purposes, the definition of a portfolio is a collection of student work over a period of time. A portfolio is an authentic performance based assessment tool. It is used for evaluation by demonstrating how and what the student is learning. An electronic portfolio simply means that the portfolio, is technology based. There are many different types of electronic portfolios . Most allow for flexibility so that the teacher or facilitator can focus and or measure a specific skill or concept.
Because teaching methods and strategies have changed and will continue to change as research and technologies make advances, the means to assess students must also keep pace. Portfolio assessment began as a way to more accurately evaluate a student. By organizing and collecting student work samples, teachers, students and parents could chart student progress. Often times these portfolios were bulky and took up a lot of room. Other problems included the organization of it as some work samples were of various sizes often too large to be kept in a folder or binder.
There are benefits to using an electronic portfolio. With traditional portfolios, files, boxes and or binders holding papers, cassettes, pictures, drawings would take up lots of space. With an electronic portfolio, information can be easily stored in a computer hard drive , floppy disc, CD or other. This would take up very little physical space and would be accessed with minimal effort.
Electronic portfolios not only take up little physical space, but can hold a great deal of information. Pictures, art work and writing samples can be all be scanned in and saved. Reading samples could be recorded. Work samples from the previous school year could also be included. Another important addition, would be collaborative student work that otherwise would not be able to be included in each participating students portfolio.
Once the student work is organized, electronic portfolios can be enhanced by the addition of sound, music, pictures, graphics and even video. Thus making it easier and more appealing to the student, parent and teacher.
Electronic portfolios also serve to enhance computer and technology skills. The teacher and student would gain experience by creating, selecting, organizing, editing and evaluating the portfolios. Students would feel a sense of accomplishment and empowerment by displaying, sharing and presenting their electronic portfolios to teachers, fellow classmates and parents.
Besides the time and planning that comes in creating an electronic portfolio, you need to have some basic equipment to begin. The following is a list of the basics: Computer, Scanner, Digital Camera, Multimedia Software Program, Web Authoring Programs.
You would need a computer with multi-media capabilities. The more RAM the better. A color flatbed scanner is fine. The scanner can be used to transfer documents and images. A digital camera allows for the capture of images of student on task. It could be taken on field trips or outside on the playground. There are quite a few multi-media programs out there. The following are just an example of the many. HyperStudio, COMPEL, Powerpoint, Persuasion, Storyboard Live, Adobe, etch If you do not have access or do not wish to include sound video and other features, there are programs such as Claris Home Page that allow for the creation of an electronic portfolio without the added features. In addition to those web authoring programs there is the Grady Profile can be formulated to demonstrate student work and evaluate many areas of the curriculum.
The first step to creating an electronic portfolio, is learning and understanding how to use the equipment and software. Training and time is the key to this. You need time to play and plan.
Decide what you want to include and how it is going to look. Plan a flowchart or storyboard. Will it be linear or non-linear? In other words, will the user be able to access the information in order (linear) or will they access the information in any order they choose (non-linear). Also, decide what type of background, sound and other features you might like.
You need to create a template. A template is a group or stack of cards that is the outline or content of the portfolio. Add graphics, borders, art, etc. you also need to add text boxes for the various sections and buttons to link the cards. Save the stack to create a template. Using the template, the student can add information that could include text, sound, messages, pictures, and links to other programs with ease.
You need to include a title card in the electronic portfolio. The information in the title card should contain the students name, age, grade level, school year and teacher. A table of contents card is also required. This card will display the contents of the portfolio. The user will then have the option of choosing the card or section they wish to view. Information cards are the cards that include t the different sections or information. It is important that curricular standards be used to align the use of the portfolio in content areas and not just create a little technology project isolated from the rest of the curriculum. They should include writing samples with a graphic of a particular science report. Also included could be a video or a recorded message either of them reading or describing and illustration. There is an endless variety of information that could be added. That is one reason why electronic portfolios can measure and assess almost any concept or skill and in any language because each teacher can design what they wish to measure and include.Assessment Of Electronic Portfolios
Many electronic portfolios use rubrics to assess the quality of their work. A rubric is a criteria-rating scale, which gives the teachers a tool that allows them to track student performance. They also empower students with the knowledge of what is expected of them. Since the portfolio should be ongoing and not just a project to be completed by a certain deadline, a quality portfolio should include work samples over a long period of time. A selection of work for each month would be on way to chart progress.
An example of this would be book reports. A student could be expected to read a book and then create an electronic report each month. The reports would probably become more elaborate with more and more features added as the students became more proficient both in writing and in adding graphics so would the quality of the reports.
Electronic portfolios can be a very practical assessment tool depending on the knowledge level of the teacher and the amount of time they can or are willing to invest. Of course it is much easier with students who are used to technology and have little problem manipulating the computers and other contraptions. The higher the grade level the easier it can be achieved. In other words primary school students would have a greater difficulty creating elaborate electronic portfolios. But with a set template and some cross-age tutors, even kinder and first grade students would be able to author their own multi-media portfolios.
In closing, electronic portfolios are a technology based form of authentic student based assessment. They are a collection of student work over a period of time. Portfolios are both practical and effective because of the rubrics used. The benefits include clear set standards or expectations, quick access, easy storage and increased technology skills. A multi-media computer, a scanner and a software package are the basic technologies needed to create an electronic portfolio. The templates are a way to organize the contents of the portfolio.
Print Sources
Abrenica, Y & Ramirez Sweeney J. (1996). Assessment Tools for the Writing Section of the Chula Vista Second Grade Progress Assessment, 6-13.
Barrett, Helen C. Technology-Supported Portfolio Assessment. The Computing Teacher, March 1994
Hunter, Barbara, Bagley, Carole, and Bagley, Richard. Technology in the Classroom: Preparing Students for the Information Age. Schools in the Middle, Summer 1993
Niguidul, David. the Digital Portfolio: A Richer Picture of Student Performance. Coalition of Essential Schools, October 1993
Internet Sources
How to Create an Electronic Portfolio, HYPERLINK http://www.sv400.k12.ks.us/port/how.html
Barrett, Helen. Links to Electronic Portfolios Looking at Electronic Portfolios. http://www.student.potsdam.edu/proder26/eplinks.html
Piper, Carla. Multi-Media Electronic Portfolios, Piper Portfolio http://jarl.cs.edu/~cpiper/portfol.html