Digital Teaching Portfolios: Digital Teaching Portfolios: Pathways to Professional Pathways to Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

Natalie B. Milman, Ph.D.

nmilman@gwu.edu

The George Washington University

Today’s Agenda Today’s Agenda

1. Overview/Introductions/Creation of a KWL Chart about digital teaching portfolios

2. Multimedia presentation and examination of digital teaching portfolios

3. DTP Commandments4. Presentation/activity/discussion: Portfolio

development process and standards5. Presentation and dialogue about digital tools for

creating digital teaching portfolios6. Revisiting the KWL chart and considering what was

learned

Introductions Introductions

Describe name and position Describe your experience with portfolios

(if any--in general and/or digital portfolios)

Complete KWL chart (K-W parts only)

port*fo*lio (port*fo*lio (pOrt-'fO-lE-"O)pOrt-'fO-lE-"O)

a hinged cover or flexible case for carrying loose papers, pictures, or pamphlets,

[from the use of such a case to carry documents of state]: the office and functions of a minister of state or member of a cabinet, and

the securities held by an investor : the commercial paper held by a financial house (as a bank) a set of pictures (as drawings or photographs) either bound in book form or loose in a folder.

What is a portfolio?What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a goal-driven, organized, collection of materials that demonstrates a person's expansion of knowledge and skills over time.

The contents, organization, and presentation of materials in portfolios vary depending on their audience and purpose.

Types of portfoliosTypes of portfolios Working Portfolios

– Descriptive– Learning

Presentation Portfolios– Assessment – Class – Employment– Professional– Showcase– Teaching

What are teaching portfolios?What are teaching portfolios?

Special type of presentation portfolio Contain artifacts from teaching Demonstrate deliberate selection, reflection, and

communication revolving around the artifacts Illustrate a professional’s recognition of personal

competence

Critical attributes of teaching Critical attributes of teaching portfoliosportfolios

"structured documentary history of a set of coached or mentored acts of teaching, substantiated by samples of student portfolios, and fully realized only through reflective writing, deliberation, and conversation (Shulman 1998, p. 37).”

Shulman, L. (1998). Teacher portfolios: A theoretical activity. In Lyons, N. (Ed.), With portfolio in hand: Validating the new teacher professionalism (pp. 23-37). New York: Teachers College Press.

What are digital teaching portfolios What are digital teaching portfolios (DTP’s)?(DTP’s)?

Contain the same content traditional portfolios include but present these professional materials in digital format

Also referred to as multimedia portfolios, electronic portfolios, e-folios, webfolios, and electronically-augmented portfolios

Let’s look at some! Let’s look at some! http://home.gwu.edu/~nmilman/dp/kortecamphttp://home.gwu.edu/~nmilman/dp/kortecamp

1. What elements are common among the DTP’s you have examined?

2. Which portfolios did you like most? Explain why.3. Which portfolios did you like least? Explain why.4. What elements do you think are important to

include in a portfolio? Why? 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages to

creating DTP’s?6. Why would you create a digital portfolio as

opposed to a traditional (print-based) portfolio?

DTP DTP Commandments(Kilbane & Milman, 2003)(Kilbane & Milman, 2003)

When in doubt DON'T throw it out! Do it digital! Be organized, not frustrated! Log it or lose it! If it is nice, save it thrice! Be careful, not sorry! Give credit where credit is due! Do unto others as you would have done unto you. Create and stick to a timeline!

What is the DTP development What is the DTP development process?process?

1. Planning the portfolio: Focus & frame

2. Considering portfolio contents: Collect, select, & reflect

3. Designing the portfolio: Organize & produce

4. Evaluating the portfolio: Perform formative & summative evaluation

5. Publishing the portfolio

Stage 1: Stage 1: Planning the DTPPlanning the DTP

Focusing the portfolio - determine the purpose of the portfolio and its intended audience. (RATIONALE)

Who is my audience? Why am I creating a portfolio?

Stage 1: Stage 1: Planning the DTP (cont’d)Planning the DTP (cont’d)

Framing - determine how to create continuity among the various components of the portfolio. (FRAMEWORK)

How can I create continuity? (theme, standards/domains, question)

Which frameworks could be Which frameworks could be used?used?

Praxis III DomainsProfessional Standards:

– State– INTASC (beginning teachers)– NBPTS (experienced teachers)

Technology– ISTE (National)– State

Stage 2: Considering Stage 2: Considering DTPDTP Contents Contents

Collect

Select Reflect

What items should be collected?What items should be collected?

Artifacts

An artifact is “tangible evidence that indicates the attainment of knowledge and skills and the ability to apply understandings to complex tasks” (Campbell, Melenyzer, Nettles & Wyman, 2000, p. 147).

Artifact examplesArtifact examples

Educational philosophy statement Résumé Classroom management plan Professional development plan Student portfolios Photos Lesson plans Seating charts

What items should be What items should be collected/created?collected/created?

Supporting documentation

Items that do not fit into “artifact” definition. Such items provide information about the person/portfolio, but are not artifacts.

Supporting documentation examplesSupporting documentation examples

Table of contents Authorship statement Credits Rationale or introductory statement Dedication

Selection guidelinesSelection guidelines

Examine as many artifacts as possible (i.e., lesson plans, student work samples, etc.)

Determine which artifacts support the framework by asking the following questions about each artifact:

Selection guidelines Selection guidelines (cont’d)(cont’d)

Does this artifact/item meet the criteria for which I am framing my portfolio? How?

Is this artifact/item the best example(s) I can use for demonstrating these criteria? If so, why? If not, why not?

Should I include this artifact/item in my portfolio? Why? Why not?

Selection guidelines Selection guidelines (cont’d)(cont’d)

Create a chart of the artifacts, how they correlate with your framework, and how they rate (i.e., definitely include or maybe)

PRAXIS III DOMAINS Artifact Rating Location

Domain A: Organizing Content for Student Learning

Letter of reference Maybe 2001 student tchng files

Recycling unit Yes! Fall 2001 Science methods folder

Educational philosophy statement

Yes! Fall 2001 TRED 220 class folder

Stage 2: ReflectingStage 2: Reflecting

“A [digital] portfolio without reflection is just a multimedia presentation, or a fancy electronic résumé, or a digital scrapbook” (Barrett, 2000)

Reflection is...Reflection is...

"a drawing together of long strands of connections, the weaving together of experiences, theory, and practices into meaning for the individual teacher and a kind of construction of knowledge – a knowledge of teaching practice" (Lyons, 1998, p. 106).

Reflective questioningReflective questioning

How does this artifact demonstrate competence in a particular standard?

Why did I include this artifact (why is it important to me)?

What did I learn as a result of using/creating this artifact?

How would I do things differently as a result of the artifact?

Stage 3: Designing the PortfolioStage 3: Designing the Portfolio

Organizing Creating a table of contents (TOC) Putting artifacts into different

categories in the TOC Creating storyboard Creating a design grid (layout of web

pages)

Stage 3: Designing the PortfolioStage 3: Designing the Portfolio

Before Producing - Consider Skills Portfolio development process Resources (Software, Hardware,

People) Need to digitize artifacts Time

Stage 3: Designing the PortfolioStage 3: Designing the Portfolio

Producing Transforming artifacts and supporting

documentation into digital format Creating, testing, and building the portfolio from

a template

Stage 4: Evaluating the PortfolioStage 4: Evaluating the Portfolio

Conducting both formative and summative evaluation (involve “critical friends in the process)

Revising the portfolio

Stage 5: Publishing the PortfolioStage 5: Publishing the Portfolio

FTP to WWW Save on CD, DVD, Zip disk Print a Hard copy

SHARING of portfolio with students, colleagues, administrators, professors

How do I develop a DTP?How do I develop a DTP?

Integrative approach Turnkey approach Stand-alone software

Which tools are available for creating Which tools are available for creating a DTP?a DTP?

Integrative approach Adobe Acrobat Macromedia Dreamweaver Microsoft PowerPoint

Which tools are available for creating Which tools are available for creating a DTP?a DTP?

Turnkey approach Chalk & Wire LiveText Taskstream

Factors to consider when selecting Factors to consider when selecting tools for creating DTPstools for creating DTPs

Technical skills Availability Difficulty Support Transferability Support for various media formats

Factors to consider when selecting Factors to consider when selecting tools for creating DTPs (cont’d)tools for creating DTPs (cont’d)

Multimedia environments Platforms Technical requirements Hardware and software required for

viewing Audience skills required for viewing

What have you learned about digital teaching portfolios?

ReferencesReferences

Barrett, H. (2000). Electronic portfolios = multimedia development + portfolio development the electronic portfolio development process. Retrieved July 23, 2001, from http://www.electronicportfolios.com/portfolios/EPDevProcess.html#stage3

Campbell, D.M., Melenyzer, B.J., Nettles, D.H., & Wyman, R.M. (2000). Portfolio and performance assessment. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Council of Chief State School Officers. (1996). Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium Standards For School Leaders. Retrieved December 1, 2004 from http://www.ccsso.org/content/pdfs/isllcstd.pdf.

Kilbane, C.R., & Milman, N.B. (2003). The digital teaching portfolio handbook: A how-to guide for educators. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Kilbane, C.R., & Milman, N.B. (2005). The digital teaching portfolio workbook: Understanding the digital teaching portfolio process. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Lyons, N. (1998). Grant, G. E., & Huebner, T. A. (1998). Portfolios and their consequences: Developing as a reflective practitioner. In Lyons, N. (Ed). With portfolio in hand: Validating the new teacher professionalism (pp. 23-27). New York: Teachers College Press.

Shulman, L. (1998). Teacher portfolios: A theoretical activity. In Lyons, N. (Ed.), With portfolio in hand: Validating the new teacher professionalism (pp. 23-37). New York: Teachers College Press.

U.S. Department of Education. (2000). Building bridges: The mission & principles of professional development. Retrieved January 29, 2002, from http://www.ed.gov/G2K/bridge.html