Building an ePortfolio: From Teacher to Student

When determining what my innovation plan was going to be, I was drawn to the idea of ePortfolios. If implemented correctly, they serve as a very useful tool in the development of necessary skills that our future work force requires. It’s all fine and dandy to appreciate the theoretical application of ePortfolios, but getting hands on experience and creating one for myself was incredibly helpful.

I would always tell my students that “if you can teach it, you’ve got it mastered.” So, getting to build an ePortfolio myself was the best thing I could do to learn the ins and outs of how to create and organize it, but also what was important. Less is more with ePortfolios, in my mind. Think of it as a quality over quantity approach. Other than blogs, the content uploaded to and referred to in an ePortfolio needs to be concise and deliberate. It forces the learner to keep a keen eye on HOW their work looks, increasing production value in a way that is valuable to other viewers.

As the implementation of my Innovation Plan proceeds, I feel more confident explaining and assisting with students’ ePortfolio development. I’ve done it myself, right? Also, I can showcase my own work as an example and provide real life connections to how ePortfolios serve a multitude of purposes, from college admissions to the work force. Students will benefit for collecting and proving collaboration on their work, as it showcases their ability to be selective and intentional while they also show how they work with others. It will truly will be information and skills learned that may ACTUALLY apply to the real world, something that is essential for the future.