Lesson 2.2: Necessary Things: Artifacts
Content Overview: Now that you have chosen a research-based starting point, you are ready to begin selecting artifacts to display in your e-portfolio. Do you remember the purposes for including certain types of artifacts as discussed in Lesson 1.3? Test your memory! Match the functions of artifacts with their corresponding outcomes. For a quick review, read the content overview of Lesson 1.3
| Function | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 1. Psychological Function | a. evidence of growth and documentation of experience |
| 2. Aesthetic Function | b. ability to teach portfolio development to others |
| 3. Professional Function | c. reveal your teaching beliefs, accomplishments, and goals |
| 4. Skills Function | d. creation of a welcoming and visually stimulating experience for the viewer |
How well do you think you did? To check your knowledge, see "2.2 Quiz Answers" at bottom of Lesson 1.3.
Activity 2.2.A: Artifact Considerations
GQ6: What artifacts are suitable for a professional teaching portfolio?
Browse these resources to note what experts have to say regarding the contents of a professional teaching portfolio. Again, you may want to jot notes or ideas in your Portfolio file. At the very least, while you are browsing, think about what you have in your professional files - those places in which you store the products of your teaching career - that would serve as examples of these various types of artifacts.
Resources:
"Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching" (2010). Pennsylvania State Education Association. [1]
Simon, Edwige. Educational Technology Resources. [2]
Adams, Heather. How to Compile a Professional Portfolio for a Teacher. [3]
Activity 2.2.B: The Discriminating Artifact Selector
GQ7: What artifacts do I have available to provide evidence of meeting the Domain, Standard, and Element I have selected?
Now you will demonstrate what you have learned about the NYS Teaching Standards, the four domains of the APPR, and artifacts that are relevant to a teaching portfolio. Now you will select 2 - 5 artifacts from your professional files to provide evidence of effective teaching. These artifacts are to be selected according to the Teaching Standard and Element - related to one APPR Domain - that you identified in Lesson 2.1.
Reread that last paragraph, noting the professional language you processed with minimal effort. You have really synthesized a lot of knowledge in a short amount of time! Great work! Knowing and using this language will enable you to think about and discuss your teaching practice in an increasingly professional and incisive manner. It will also help you discriminate among multiple examples of specific types of artifacts that you hold in your professional files.
Now, with your pre-selected Teaching Standard Element and APPR domain in mind, peruse your professional files and select the 2 - 5 best and most fitting artifacts through which to exhibit your teaching effectiveness in your targeted standard, element, and domain. Enjoy and think about the selection process as you undertake it. Look at you, the Discriminating Artifact Selector! :)
Resources: Professional files from personal teaching practice.
Activity 2.2.C: Embedding artifacts in a page of your WordPress portfolio.
GQ8: How do I include artifacts in my portfolio?
Follow these steps to embed your artifacts:
1. Log on to your portfolio at WordPress.com;
2. Go to your dashboard and select, "All pages";
3. Select one of the pages you have created and click on "Edit";
4. Once on the page, change the page name to reflect the evidence you are embedding;
5. Refer to Lesson 1.3 for a review of embedding techniques.
Next steps: Go to Unit 3: Teaching Standards and Clinical Reflection
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