Why is it important for the student to become strong in self-assessment?

Objectives: Participants will...

Understand how Gardner's Multiple Intelligence theory can help decide what information should go into an ePortfolio by making a list of artifacts that meet different learning styles.

Evaluate what types of documents could go into an ePortfolio. Participants will choose by making a list of what documents will be required in their students ePortfolios.

Decide which means of storage is best for your students ePortfolios by exploring different types.

Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory

"Assessment isn't something that should be done to a student. The student should be the most active agent." Howard Gardner.

Lets begin this unit with a little background on the multiple Intelligence Theory. I feel that the root of every portfolio highlights the learning style of the student. Howard Gardner explains that there are 8 multiple intelligences. The portfolio allows the student to demonstrate what they learned, how they learned it, and how they can apply it through there learning style and present artifacts that coincide with that style.

Howard Gardner explains it best himself http://youtu.be/l2QtSbP4FRg

Purpose

What are you going to use the portfolio for? Typically a portfolio can serve three purposes:

1. Growth Portfolios

to show growth or change over time
to help develop process skills such as self-evaluation and goal-setting
to showcase student perceptions of favorite, best or most important work
to communicate a student's current aptitudes to future teachers

2. Showcase Portfolios

to showcase end-of-year/semester accomplishments
to prepare a sample of best work
to communicate a student's aptitudes to future teachers

3. Evaluation Portfolios

to document achievement for grading purposes
to document progress towards standards
to place students appropriately

Audience

Audience and purpose go hand-in-hand. You and your students need to keep your audience in mind. Who will be viewing the ePortfolios? Before you begin to think about what might go into your students ePortfolios, you first need to think about who will be looking at them. Will your Principal see them as part of assessment data? Will you allow your colleagues to view them? Will the ePortfolios be just between you and your student? Will you show them to parents during conferences or at the end of the marking period? Answering these questions will help you choose the formality of the ePortfolio.

Storing the ePortfolio

I imagine this will be a section you will return to for reference. I don't want to take up to much of your time, so I am going to list a few websites that can be used to store the ePortfolio. You may even be required to keep the students work on your school server. That is fine too. This will be something you will have to decide what works best for you.

http://www.livebinders.com/

http://evernotefolios.wordpress.com/

http://www.america.studywiz.com/?page_id=138

ePortfolio Planning Worksheet

This worksheet will help you gather your thoughts. Think about the direction you want the ePortfolios to go in and what is the end result you are looking for.

ePortfolio Planning Worksheet

Why are you creating ePortfolios in your classroom?

Who is involved and how will you introduce the process? Ex. Co-teacher, Principal, Parents,

What types of documents (formats) will learners collect?

What is the content of portfolio items (determined by the assessment context) and the type of evidence to be collected?

Which software tools are most appropriate for the portfolio context and the resources available?

What hardware tools do you need to digitize artifacts? Scanners, Digital Still Cameras, Digital Video Cameras, Microphones

Which storage medium is most appropriate for the situation (will you use computer hard disk, local-area network, a WWW server, CD-ROM, Web 2.0 service, etc.)? The audience for the portfolio will have a major impact on this answer.

What multimedia materials will you gather that represent a learner's achievement? You will want to collect artifacts from different points of time to demonstrate growth and learning that has taken place.

Unit 3

When you are ready you may begin

Unit 3: How do I create an ePortfolio?

Back to the beginning

Creating a Digital Archive: ePortfolio's for Elementary Student's Mini-course