Creating Electronic Portfolios.

http://www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter

The Writing Center at Rensselaer

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Why an Electronic Portfolio?

• Easy to change content.

• Supports various media & hence various pieces of evidence.

• Displays material that employers can both experience & think about.

• Provides evidence & accompanying descriptions that aids interpretation.

• Easily accessible: Web or CD.

Electronic Portfolios:

• Creating a Portfolio for Self-Evaluation & Development;

• Creating a Professional Portfolio.

Self-Evaluation Portfolio -1:

• The goal is to collect & catalogue all your relevant work. (artifacts)

• Include everything: Old projects; Papers; Sketches; Video.

Self Evaluation Portfolio II -

• Reflect on your work: Decidet what you like about each piece.

Write descriptive introductions: what each

piece does, what you want it to do, what you are proud of.

Self Evaluation Portfolio 3 -

• Examine the work of others: What do you admire? How would you do it better? Reconsider the wording of your descriptions. Set goals: what other work do you want to

include.

Self-Evaluation Portfolio IV -

• Determine an organization scheme: Chronological; Type; Purpose.

• “Artifacts” tell a story for you: Artifacts tell it to others.

Self-Evaluation Portfolio V -

What else is the portfolio good for? Staying focused on your learning path. Professional licensing. (in some states) Determining your skills & assets. Documenting learning.

The Professional Portfolio:Aimed at the Job Market.

Manpower (2000). About Manpower - Our Story. [Online]. Available: http://www.manpower.com/en/story.asp. Retreived 11 September 2000.

Employers need people with varied but specific skills.

The market is competitive.

Employers (human resources dept.) don’t have a lot of time to spend searching for the information they need.

“Employers . . . visit the job seeker’s personal Web site to view examples of the skills listed on a resume or portfolio. In the case of a graphic artist, a personal Web site might include a video clip illustrating an actual ad campaign, pictures of current or award-winning work, sounds from ads or interviews, and scanned images (such as an actual award)” (p.152).

The Professional Portfolio II -

Kimeldorf, M & Kennedy, J.L. (1997). Portfolio power: The new way to showcase all your job skills and experiences. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s.

The Professional Portfolio III:

• Identify your audience;

• Analyze your audience; research.

• Determine: What knowledge, skills, abilities are they looking for?

The Professional Portfolio IV -Sources of information -

• Interviewing:Employers;Employees;Alumni;Professor.

• Trade Publications.

• Web Sites.

• Job Advertisements.

The Professional Portfolio V -Mine the ad: (interview, publication . . .)

Knowledge, abilities, skills & attitudes required; (hallmarks)Work that a person graduating in this field would know how to do. (key performance)Basic skills: leading, research, planning, etc.

Use this information to collect & organize your work.

The Professional Portfolio VI:Rephrase the hallmarks & key performances as “statements of excellence” to describe your work.

Design content that is informative & easy to navigate with respect to the user’s needs & abilities.

Uses visual & verbal material to highlight & emphasize content.

Visual images that convey information or emotional content pertinent to a particular skill or perspective.

Use these statements to guide the user through your portfolio.

The Professional Portfolio VII:

Determine how each hallmark & key performance can be demonstrated?

In your own fields, what are some things employers are looking for? What evidence can you provide?

The Professional Portfolio VIII -

Written compositions; (demonstrating a sense for effective writing)

Video; (demonstrating a particular technical competency)

Reflection. (demonstrating a particular personal value)

Examples of Artifacts: (evidence)

Include (& coordinate) A Resume:

• Update your resume regularly;

• Be sure skills stated on the resume are evidenced in the portfolio;

• Be sure that skills evidenced in the portfolio appear on your resume;

• Consider hyper-linking items on the resume to items in your portfolio.

Now What?

• Collect criteria of excellence for your field.

• Locate, select, devise evidence that addresses the criteria; put as much in one folder as you can.

• Write short descriptive paragraphs for each piece of evidence; include evaluative statements.

• Enroll in a Dream Weaver Workshop.