This module addresses communications skills and requires active use of writing, speaking, and other forms of self-expression. The activities provide an opportunity for information gathering, synthesis, and analysis in solving problems and in critical thinking.
Both students and the instructor need only have the following technical skills prior to using this module:
The instructor should identify local resources that can provide these students with the skills they need to complete this module. Some examples of these resources include:
Identification of students lacking these skills and providing them with learning opportunities to acquire these skills is critical. This module will not provide this instruction. It will only provide the opportunity for students to utilize these resources in a meaningful, relevant manner.
The instructor should explain that the content for this module resides in ANGEL and ask students to read the content, and complete any relevant activities prior to any in-class instruction. Provide students with the following information:
This module contains reflective questions and activities that are central to developing a meaningful e-portfolio. These reflective questions and activities will help students recall what they already know as well as to help them work through new ideas and concepts.
The modules all have a standard layout. When you import a module into your ANGEL group or course, a folder with the module's name will be added under the "Lessons" tab (course) or the "Content" tab (group). This folder can be moved and placed within another folder if desired.
To start the module, students should open the first file in the list inside each module's folder. This file has the word Lesson as part of its name and contains the links to other parts of the lesson.
Open the first file in the module folder to begin the lesson.
This first or "master" file contains descriptions of the purpose, goals, and objectives, as well as instructions for completing the module, references to materials used in designing and developing the content of the module, a summary of the important points in the module, and a survey for students to complete after finishing the module. (Survey results are available to editors in the group or course through the on-line grade report tool.)
The rest of the files in each module's folder are accessed through links embedded within the content. As the student reads the content and completes the activities, other files from the folder will be used. Some students may become confused if they try to complete the module by working their way down the list and viewing each file without reading the accompanying materials. Instructors may want to make a point of announcing in class and/or putting directions in the syllabus about how to complete each module.
Note: The module will not work correctly if the student does not begin with the "master" file and work through the activities using the embedded links.
Also, responses to reflective questions using the "My Notes" tool are accessible only to the person who types them - they are not available to the group or course editors. If you, as the instructor, want to see the answers to the reflective quesitons, you will need to have the students use a word processor to record their answers instead of the "My Notes" tool.
In addition to the activities already written into this module, owners/editors may want to add discussion (message) boards, chat rooms, surveys, links, etc. These are all tools that are available within ANGEL. Instructors also have the option of adding quizzes.
As the instructor, you will need to choose which assignments students are to complete, determine if and how credit will be given for the assignments, and establish due dates and submission methods for the assignments. Including this information in your course syllabus will make it readily available to students.
Following are the assignments embedded in the Introduction to e-Portfolios module:
Activity 1: Reflective questions -- What does an e-Portfolio look like?
Activity 2: Reflective questions -- What kinds of evidence belongs in an e-Portfolio?
Activity 3: Reflective questions -- Where do you hope to find yourself in 2 years? 5 years?
Activity 4: Reflective questions -- Who will you share your e-Portfolio with in the next year?
Activity 5: Reflective questions -- What are your Top 5 pieces of evidence?
Activity 6: Activity -- Why did the Top 5 make it into your Top 5 list?
Activity 7: Activity -- Reflection vs. Description
Activity 8: Activity -- What is your point? Have you made this clear?
Activity 9: Activity -- Design your e-Portfolio
Activity 10: Activity -- Create the Web pages for you e-Portfolio
The work that students have completed, or the experiences that they have been involved in as a result of completing other iStudy modules all may potentially be included in their e-Portfolio. Essentially, involve students in the e-portfolio development process; gathering evidence, thinking about the message they want to create and then selecting the evidence that helps support the message.
When implementing this module as a part of a course that you are teaching, assign the written work to be completed before in-class discussion on these topics is started. Encourage students to quote from what they have written as a part of the in-class discussion. After all, this work will potentially be shared with a broader audience.
Create a safe and collaborative atmosphere for sharing ideas, reactions and positive feedback in class discussions. e-Portfolios are about people, and these people will take these comments to heart. In this spirit, there are no wrong answers. A good way to approach this is to begin by saying, "As a reader, this is what I hear you saying...", "Is this what you had intended?"
Use the Gallery found on the e-Portfolio web site or point to other e-portfolio examples within your program of study if they are available. It is always helpful to look at what others have put together and talk about what they did and the message you understand from this work.
When talking with students about appropriate evidence to be included in an e-portfolio be sure to talk about issues related to privacy and security.
Points for discussion: What kinds of information about yourself should not be published on the web? What kinds of information should be protected?
The activities that are listed in this module are designed to get students to articulate what they know, what they can do and what they value. The overarching question for the student involved in this process is - How is this important to me? Students just starting a program of study, as well as many students in their first or second year, may not be able to come up with a definitive goals or statements of purpose. In these cases, involve them in detailing what they do know and have them provide an outline for what they are unsure of, encouraging them to describe the placeholders for what they would like to see in their e-portfolio as fully as they can.
Encourage your students to become as meaningfully engaged in the e-portfolio development process as possible. A large part of this motivation is the result of having a real audience. Read and provide sincere reactions about what students are putting together. Whenever possible, have students get feedback from classmates, friends, other faculty or family members. Meaningful e-portfolio development activity results from sincere introspection on the part of the student. Little value is derived if this involvement is simply another academic exercise.
After a while students should come to understand that the power of e-Portfolios lies not in the product, but in the process. Reflective practice is a way of thinking, e-portfolios are only an electronic representation of this.
Refer to the e-Portfolio web site for the General e-Portfolio Evaluation Criteria worksheet.
This general evaluation rubric can be used by students to self-evaluate their own or the e-portfolios of classmates, or it may be modified by the instructor and used as an scoring rubric for evaluating student work. In particular, the instructor may want to modify the indicators to include specific evidence or assignments which they would require students to include within their e-portfolio. Furthermore, you may also want to change the scoring rubric from "many concerns, some concerns, no concerns" to "10, 5 and 0 points", (as one example), and in this way derive a numerical score that can be assigned to student work.