Learning On The Job

I have decided to stop using the terms “Digital Portfolio” and “ePortfolio”. Whenever I refer to a portfolio now and in the future, it will overwhelmingly be of the so-called-digital kind anyway, so why put them in a separate category? These so-called-ePortfolios perform the same function (and more!) than so-called-traditional portfolios, so why single them out?

It doesn’t make them special to most; it makes them scary. It doesn’t make them exciting and innovative to teachers; it makes them something ‘other schools’ do. It doesn’t make them common practice; it makes them exceptional practice.

I wanted to share this photo that I took at ASB Unplugged in February.

DW was my Grade 3 tour guide through her digital portfolio. Google Sites are being piloted as eportfolios at ASB and the students seem to be in charge of everything, right down to scanning in their work. It was really cool to see these little people taking charge of their learning, taking pride in documenting it and even taking control of the technology. It makes me wonder why some people feel that middle and high school students would have a hard time with portfolios. Is it because of the students? Or the teachers/school?

(I tried this before with no success. So here we go again!)

I’m sitting on a task force that is charged with the creation of an electronic portfolio solution for our school. We are defining the rationale behind using portfolios at the PYP, MYP and possibly DP levels and then determining what platform would best suit our needs in (trying to) creating an electronic portfolio solution for the school.

An important part of this process is learning what solutions are already being used at various schools. I have already contact a few people directly via Twitter (thanks @DearLibariAnn, @MaggieSwitz and @adecardy) but if you would like to add your experiences here, I would greatly appreciate it!

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