After creating an ePortfolio this semester, I have come to realize how effective it can be to create and use in a classroom setting. Technology is now a major part in life and education is changing and advancing every day. In classrooms, teachers need to be able to use technology to support learning. Also teachers need to be able to teach students about meaningful applications and tools, so that students learn how to use and create them. There are so many different tools and applications that support and enhance learning.
An ePortfolio is, “A collection of work (evidence) in an electronic format that showcases learning over time” (Clemson University, n.d.). An ePortfolio may contain pictures, text, videos, writing sample, evidence related to a course, and/or projects done in class. They can show evidence of creativity, extracurricular activities, examples of leadership, and/or analysis and recommendations (Clemson University, n.d.). An ePortfolio can be deigned and customized to the person creating it because there are many different uses.
This semester in my Critical Media Literacy course, everyone in my class created our own ePortfolio’s on a website called Weebly. There are many different websites that can create ePortfolio’s it just depends on the user’s preference. I found this website to be very user friendly and easy to navigate. Within my ePortfolio I posted projects that I completed, information about the tools I used, and background about myself. While doing all of my projects including this one, I realized that what I am going to teach needs to deal with technology more than ever. "Meanwhile, in the US, hiring for positions that require programming and mobile development skills takes nearly twice as long as filling non-STEM job opening" (Becker, Freeman, Hall, Cummins, Yuhnke, 2016). My students are going to need to know how to use technology in their future and ePortfolio’s can support that. “ePortfolios are collections of electronic evidence which capture the idea of lifelong learning ePortfolio’s at school can support the documentation of competences better than normal tests and assessments" (Dorninger, Schrack, 2007).
The International Standards for Technology in Education (ISTE), align with creating an ePortfolio. Standard 5B states, “Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning” (ISTE, 2017). For teachers to meet these standards and create meaningful technology they have to learn and be able to teach about technology. "Digital Immigrant teachers assume that learners are the same as they have always been, and that the same methods that worked for the teachers when they were students will work for their students now" (Prensky, 2001). If teachers do not realize how important using technology in the classroom is, the students will feel the negative effects. In my future classroom I would want each of my students to create and ePortfolio where they can post their projects and activities because I have seen how effective it can be.
References: Adams Becker, S., Freeman, A., Giesinger Hall, C., Cummins, M., and Yuhnke, B. (2016). NMC/CoSN Horizon Report: 2016 K 12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.
Dorninger, C., & Schrack, C. (2007). ePortfolios in Education-Learning Tools or Means of Assessment?. In Conference ICL2007, September 26-28, 2007 (pp. 8-pages). Kassel University Press.
ISTE, (2017). International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Educators. Retrieved February 19, 2018 from www.iste.org/standards.aspx
ISTE Standards
ISTE standard addressed 5 Designer, "Educators design authentic, learner-driver activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability." 5B, "Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning."