ePortfolios

This year, I am one of 9 teachers using ePortfolios for the first time in my classroom. Even though different districts use different platforms, the goals are the similar.

The following two videos (focussed on the FreshGrade platform) give information on how ePortfolios are being used in the classroom and their impact on student learning and parent interactions and connections.

SD38 (Richmond) ePortfolio Information

SD38’s (Richmond) ePortfolio Page gives an overview of ePortfolios including 1. Multiple ways to document work, 2. ability to capture to process, 3. seamless communication between the school, parent, & teacher, and 4. Formative assessment. Here is the link to the SD38 Guide for Documenting Student Learning. The following is a list of links to informative sites on important ePortfolio topics listed within the SD38 ePortfolio pages:

• 11 Essentials for Excellent ePortfolios by Vicki Davis
• The Art of Reflection by Beth Holland
• Hattie Ranking: 252 Influences And Effect Sizes Related To Student Achievement from the website Visible Learning
• Digital Writing Portfolios from the blog Two Writing Teachers
• The Qualitative Formative Assessment Toolkit: Document Learning with Mobile Technology by Dr. Reshan Richards
• The 40 Reflection Questions posted by Edutopia
• 35 Questions for Student Reflection posted by Edunators
• The power of portfolios, a cumulative demonstration of learning by Allison Zmuda
• The Benefit of “Sticking With It” By George Couros
• Using Student Work to Drive Decision-Making by Katie White

Here is the link to Portfolio Guidelines, and the link to the Scholantis Student Portfolios Online User Guide. (Please note that some of these links may not be accessible for those who do not work for SD38).

The Portfolio Guidelines site also provides links to the following topics:

• Getting Started
• Documenting Student Learning
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Primary Portfolios
• Intermediate Portfolios
• Secondary Portfolios

Building Powerful Self-Reflections

In the blog post Building Powerful Self-Reflections by Victoria teacher Meaghan Abra (Tale of Two Teachers), she outlines ways she is helping her grade 6 students create powerful self-reflections in their ePortfolios. Meagan provides helpful commentary on how she is building self-assessment and reflection skills and expectations with her students as she moves to an alternate reporting system.

The (Nearly) Invisible Portfolio

In the blog post The (Nearly) Invisible Portfolio author George (The Principal of Change) offers interesting discussion points of the “near invisibility” of the student ePortfolio (seen mainly by students, teachers, and parents). George asks his readers to think about the possibilities of using ePortfolios beyond the school to help students learn how to share their learning to the wider world (thus creating a positive digital footprint).