This will be the end of my second masters class in Digital Learning and Leadership. In this course my learning was focused around creating an ePortfolio. When beginning to work on this project it brought back memories of an early experience with portfolios. These were not an ePortfolio but it did have some similar ideas and components. It was an early attempt by our school district to do something beneficial for students and their futures. With that being said I had to look further into why I should use an ePortfolio.
An ePortfolio is more than what I had experienced in my early career. An ePortfolio began to really put the COVA model into perspective. The choices that I would need to make along the way would be mine. Yes, I asked for suggestions and tips along the way, but ultimately the choice was mine. One of the first decisions was should I stay with my platform. I had originally chose to create my ePortfolio in google sites. I was familiar with the platform and it was easier for me. Looking back it didn’t offer much in terms of a growth mindset. I had taken the easy route. Talking with Dr. Harapnuik started my journey with WordPress. After talking with him he put me at ease with starting a new platform. This is where I really started to struggle with WordPress. What seemed like easy tasks turned into hours of learning. Here is a list of my experiences that you can read about while creating my ePortfolio.
Starting with WordPress began a love hate relationship with this platform. Here I began to experiment with creativity. Slowly it began to come to form. The ownership of having an ePortfolio is a lot like owning a house. It also brings up a great question that Dr. Harapnuik brought up in class. Who owns the ePortfolio? At first glance the answer seems to be simple in nature. I do, right? Looking at the reading provided and the facts presented gave me a deeper understanding of ownership. In the last week of the class I wrote about Own your ePortfolio. By using the blog I was able to reflect and create a deeper sense of learning. Reflection is important in the learning process. It gives the learning not only a voice but a sense of ownership. The blog becomes an important tool for the student.
I look forward to what the future has in store. As the new school year approaches I look forward to modeling and demonstrating what I have learned. Students will get to experience what I have learned. I plan on incorporating the COVA model into my classroom. Finding Units that students can experience the COVA model is something that I am working on developing right now. It won’t be something that will be fully implemented this year. It will defiantly be something that will take some time. The ePortfolio is something that could benefit every student. In my “Marketing your self with an ePortfolio” I provide examples as to why all students should create an ePortfolio. I can’t wait to continue to explore the avenues of my own ePortfolio.
As an instructional coach in my district, I look forward to sharing with my teachers the impacts of an ePortfolio. Each year we have new teachers that come into our district. I could see how starting an ePortfolio could be beneficial to incoming teachers. As teachers begin to grow in our district the can showcase that learning and growth in their ePortfolio. Even though we would love to see all teachers stay with the district the truth is that they will not. So when they do leave they would have something to show future employers.
My ePortfolio has only begun to take shape. This may be the end of this class but this is only the beginning.
- Photo by Sushobhan Badhai on Unsplash
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