EPORTFOLIOS:  HALLMARKS  OF  EXCELLENCE  

In  the  Master  of  Education  program  we  require  students  to  develop  an  ePortfolio,  a  password-­‐protected  online  collection  of  work  samples  and  written  reflections.  Here's  why:  

ePortfolio  Vision  Statement  

By  pursuing  a  Master's  degree,  you  are  in  a  process  of  –  metaphorically  speaking  –  writing  the  next  chapter   in  the  story  of  your   life.  Your  courses  are  one  part  of  that  process.  You  construct  meaning   on   your   journey,   considering   how   your   program   informs   and   shapes  personal  and  professional  goals.  

Your   ePortfolio   is   designed   to   help   you   document   this   narrative   of   growth   to   see   how  parts  relate  to  the  whole.  We  believe  it  will  help  you  improve  the  quality  of  your  learning  experience,  both  during  and  after  your  time  in  the  program.  

WHAT  MAKES  AN  EPORTFOLIO  “GOOD”?  

You  work  on  your  ePortfolio  throughout  the  program,  adding  something  new  to  it  in  each  course  that  you  take.    A  good  ePortfolio  is  more  than  an  online  resume  or  personal  website.    It  provides  evidence  that  you  are  thinking  about  

Your  present  and  future,   What  you  have  learned  so  far,     The  quality  of  your  current  work,   How  your  experience  relates  to  your  current  goals,     How  your  goals  have  changed  or  matured  over  time,     The  connections  between  your  learning  experiences,  and   Additional  experience  you  need  to  realize  your  goals.  

Make  sure  that  every  page  in  your  ePortfolio  includes  meaningful  text.    Blank  pages  or  pages  that  still  have  placeholder  template  text  indicate  that  you  aren’t  keeping  it  up,  using  the  ePortfolio  to  track  your  development  and  further  your  learning.    The  template  includes  suggestions  and  writing  prompts  to  help  you  get  started  with  this  process.  Revisit  the  introductory  page  and  goals  section  of  your  ePortfolio  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  each  term,  updating  them  to  reflect  recent  developments.    

Evidence  of  learning  is  the  heart  and  soul  of  an  ePortfolio.    Your  work  samples  are  evidence  because  they  demonstrate  your  growing  capabilities.    Collect  the  work  you  have  created  for  a  class.    Examine  it  to  assess  the  

 

 

quality.    As  you  look  at  the  work,  ask  yourself  questions  like  these:  What  am  I  learning?    What  are  my  strengths?    What  do  I  need  to  improve?    Select  one  or  more  examples  and  upload  the  pieces  along  with  an  explanation  or  reflection.    If  you  see  room  for  improvement,  say  how  you  will  act  upon  that  observation.  Be  honest,  because  false  claims  of  excellence  are  as  bad  as  poor  work!  

Communicate  your  goals  and  growth.  Some  learning  experiences  open  up  a  whole  new  world  of  ideas,  questions,  and  possibilities  for  your  future  direction.    Other  learning  experiences  reinforce  aspirations.    Consider  the  following  questions  as  you  write  your  reflection:  What  ideas  and  abilities  did  I  gain  from  course  readings  and  assignments?  How  does  this  newfound  understanding  differ  from  the  assumptions  that  I  had  at  the  beginning  of  the  course?    How  is  my  work  different  from  what  I  would  have  been  able  to  produce  or  do  prior  to  my  experience  in  the  course  or  program?  

Remember  that  your  ePortfolio  can  include  more  than  text,  including  photos,  documents,  videos,  slide  presentations,  multimedia  galleries,  and  social  media.    Good  ePortfolios  are  engaging;  they  often  bring  the  story  of  a  person’s  learning  to  life  through  deft  integration  of  images,  sounds,  colors,  and  text.    But  every  element  of  your  ePortfolio  should  serve  a  purpose.    Gratuitous,  inappropriate,  and  irrelevant  use  of  multimedia  –  including  images  –  compromises  the  quality  of  your  ePortfolio.  

Spelling  and  grammar  are  important  because  they  reflect  your  ability  to  communicate  clearly.    Read  your  ePortfolio  aloud  on  a  regular  basis  and  have  a  friend  check  it  for  errors.    You  can  also  ask  classmates  and  professors  for  feedback.    Keep  revising  your  ePortfolio  to  improve  it.  

 

HOW  WILL  I  USE  MY  EPORTFOLIO?  

• Course-­‐Based  Learning:  While  taking  a  class  you  will  be  prompted  to  post  entries  and  work  along  the  way  so  that  you  can  chart  the  growth  of  your  thinking  and  abilities,  drawing  on  this  material  to  author  a  final  reflection  about  your  course-­‐related  learning.    Some  professors  may  ask  you  to  share  your  ePortfolio  with  other  classmates.  

• Program  Direction:  While  you're  in  the  program,  your  ePortfolio  provides  you  with  successive  snapshots  of  your  learning,  so  that  you  can  see  how  your  work  is  adding  up.  

• Personal  and  Professional  Development:  In  viewing  your  ePortfolio  as  a  whole  you  will  probably  see  places  where  you  are  weak  or  would  benefit  from  more  depth  and  experience.    This  reflective  exercise  helps  you  make  informed  decisions  about  courses  or  extracurricular  experiences  that  will  help  you  achieve  your  goals.  

• Advancement:  By  the  time  you  graduate  you  will  have  a  comprehensive  picture  of  your  learning  and  capabilities.    After  you  graduate  your  access  to  Blackboard  will  be  terminated,  but  you  will  still  have  the  ePortfolio.      If  you  continue  to  update  your  ePortfolio  to  document  professional  growth,  it  will  help  you  identify  accomplishments  and  abilities  when  preparing  for  job  interviews  or  annual  review.