Education Commons^™

Crafting A Writing Response Community Through Contract Grading, Sarah Klotz, Kristina Reardon

Journal of Response to Writing

As labor-based grading contracts gain momentum in first year writing classrooms, new kinds of response to writing take center stage. We explore how session notes composed by embedded peer tutors and students become rich tools in a writing process and create a gateway to the writing center for first-year students. By reading session notes in conversation with students’ reflective writing, we put forward three key findings: students articulate a relationship between building confidence in their writing and their willingness to seek, receive, and value feedback; students discuss how the labor required for an ‘A’ pushed them to access and learn …

Constructing Inflation Hedged Portfolios, B.A. Brotman

Southern Business Review

B. A. Brotman is an Assistant Professor of Finance in the Department of Business Administration and Economics at The College of Charleston.

Communicating About Computational Thinking: Understanding Affordances Of Portfolios For Assessing High School Students’ Computational Thinking And Participation Practices, Deborah A. Fields, Debora Lui, Yasmin Kafai, Gayithri Jayathirtha, Justice Walker, Mia Shaw

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Context: While assessment of computational thinking concepts, practices, and perspectives is at the forefront of K-12 CS education, supporting student communication about computation has received relatively little attention.

Objective: To examine the usability of process-based portfolios for capturing students’ communication about their computational practices regarding the process of making electronic textile projects.

Method: We examined the portfolios of 248 high school students in 15 introductory CS classrooms from largely underserved communities, using a formal rubric (top-down) to code computational communication and an open-coding scheme (bottom-up) to identify computational practices described.

Findings: Students demonstrated stronger …

How Teachers Use Formative Assessment Strategies During Teaching: Evidence From The Classroom, Hem Chand Dayal

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Using lesson observations, the study reported in this article explores how two practising secondary mathematics teachers implemented formative assessment actions in their classroom teaching. The study also investigated whether teachers’ beliefs about teaching and assessment could be mapped onto their classroom practices. In particular, while the two teachers were implementing student portfolio assessment in their own Year 9 mathematics lessons, the classroom observations focused on how they utilised formative assessment actions such as clarifying and sharing learning criteria intentions and criteria for success; activating students as instructional resources; and, providing feedback that moves learners forward. The findings suggest that one …

Progressive Portfolios: A Yearlong Process Of Research, Reflection, And Revision, Dana Haring, Tom Kelner

The Montana English Journal

An English teacher and a Social Studies teacher collaborated to create a year long progressive process of research, writing, reflection and revision at the middle school level. After their own reflection and substantial planning, they implemented this plan at the beginning of a school year. In these joint, cumulative research projects, students were engaged in the acts of questioning history, practicing methodology, and developing essential literacy skills as required by the Common Core State Standards. Throughout the process, digital tools were employed for presentation, research, writing, reflection, revision, and portfolio management.

Communicating Computational Concepts And Practices Within High School Students’ Portfolios Of Making Electronic Textiles, Debora Lui, Justice T. Walker, Sheri Hanna, Yasmin B. Kafai, Deborah A. Fields, Gayithri Jayathirtha

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Portfolios have recently gained traction within computer science education as a way to assess students’ computational thinking and practices. Whereas traditional assessments such as exams tend to capture learning within artificial settings at a single point in time, portfolios provide more authentic opportunities to document a trajectory of students’ learning and practices in everyday contexts. Furthermore, because communication itself has been defined as an important computational thinking practice, portfolios give students a place to practice this skill in the classroom. In this study, we report on the implementation of a digital portfolio with a class of 21 high school students …

Using Technology To Facilitate Faculty Evaluation, Theresa Glenn, Rise' Lara

Academic Chairpersons Conference Proceedings

Are you tired of carrying a dozen or more 3-ring binders around to evaluate your faculty’s portfolios? Well say no more to the traditional faculty portfolio and go paperless. With the advent of Google sites, one department has streamlined the portfolio process with each faculty member having their own portfolio Google site.

Connecting With Computer Science: Electronic Textile Portfolios As Ideational Identity Resources For High School Students, Mia S. Shaw, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

The development of student identities—their interests in computer science, perceptions of the discipline, and sense of belonging in the field—is critical for broadening participation of underrepresented groups in computing. This paper reports on the design of portfolios in which two classes of high school students reflected on the process of making electronic textile projects. We examine how students expressed self-authorship in relation to computer science and how the use of reflective portfolios shaped students’ perceptions of computer science. In the discussion we consider how reflective portfolios can serve as ideational resources for computer science identity construction.

Importance Of Portfolio Building For University Students, Zoë Lauer, Casandra Cox

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

A portfolio is “a digital container capable of storing visual and auditory content including text, images, video and sound” (Abrami and Barrett, 2005, p. 2). Portfolios are becoming a priority for graduates entering creative career fields. Electronic portfolios or e-portfolios are on the rise due to advancements in technology. These e-portfolios give students and graduates the ability to showcase everything they have done inside and outside the classroom in one place. E-portfolios give employers the opportunity to view a potential employment candidate’s skills, experience, and creativity in one place. Portfolios and e-portfolios can also be used inside of the classroom …

T He Effects Of Work Journals, Portfolios, And Cosmic Education On Intrinsic Motivation In An Upper Elementary Montessori Environment, Heather R. Brown

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to explore the effects of work journals, portfolios, and cosmic education on intrinsic motivation. The study was performed at a Montessori school in Indiana that serves children from birth through high school graduation. Thirtyfour learners in an upper elementary classroom participated in the study over the course of eight weeks. Data collection included two pre- and post-assessments, daily observations, and interviews with participants. Results of the pre- and post-assessments showed an overall decrease in both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, although learners perceived their work as having greater value and importance. Observation data revealed an …

Race And Ethnicity In The Hiring Process: An Experimental Study Of Millennial Undergraduate Attitudes Using Career Electronic Portfolios, Adam C. Swanson

Dissertations

The study examined whether undergraduate Millennial students living in different geographic regions of the United States evaluate a career electronic portfolio differently for racially diverse candidates. The researcher customized an online career e-portfolio for a fictitious candidate seeking to apply for a student leadership position at a college. The interactive e-portfolio contained a cover letter, resume, letter of recommendation, short biography, and a class project artifact. While the actual contents of the e-portfolio remained constant, a series of female-candidate photographs were manipulated to offer five unique study conditions. There was a career e-portfolio that displayed a photograph of an Asian …

Information Literacy's Secret Weapon: Using Portfolios To Integrate Into The Curriculum, Lily Todorinova

Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

See presentation description.

The Portfolio Effect: Enhancing Turkish Elt Student-Teachers’ Autonomy, Rana Yildirim

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article reports on the use of portfolios to develop ELT major student-teachers’ autonomy. The research was carried out for 14 weeks with twenty-one 3rd grade student-teachers in the English Language Teaching Department of Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey. To evaluate the impact of portfolios on fostering the participants’ autonomy, data were collected from an autonomy readiness questionnaire, semi-structured interviews with the student-teachers and three portfolio evidences: graded goal sheets, reflection reports, and cover letters. The findings revealed that the use of portfolios assisted the student-teachers in becoming autonomous in regard to their personal and professional development and that the student-teachers …

A Quantitative Study Focusing On The Effect Of Electronic Portfolios In Teacher Education, Jarrod Sanson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Portfolios have been used in the field of education as a form of assessment since the 1980s. As time has progressed, portfolios have transitioned from paper to electronic form. Research on electronic portfolios has focused on implementation issues and their impact on student learning. There has been limited effort, however, on their long-term impact. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the perceived impact of electronic portfolios on the beginning careers of classroom teachers. More specifically, this study sought to determine if use of electronic portfolios during pre-service education impacted the attitudes and performance of new teachers. The …

The Power And Utility Of Reflective Learning Portfolios In Honors, Christopher R. Corley, John Zubizarreta

History Department Publications

The explosive growth of learning portfolios in higher education as a compelling tool for enhanced student learning, assessment, and career preparation is a sign of the increasing significance of reflective practice and mindful, systematic documentation in promoting deep, meaningful, transformative learning experiences. The advent of sophisticated electronic technologies has augmented the power of portfolios and created a virtual industry dedicated to platforms and strategies associated with electronic portfolios and the diverse purposes they can serve in curricular, programmatic, and institutional assessment efforts. The intellectual and practical relevance of such innovations in the honors context is clear. Honors programs and colleges …

Using An Open Software System (Sakai) To Develop Student Portfolios, Linda L. Beith, Stephen White, Gregory Laramie

Staff Publications

E-portfolios are digital collections of artifacts that represent the achievements and reflections of individuals. They offer a unique view into student learning and allow educators and external accreditors to assess student progress towards established standards as well as reviewing their program’s performance in supporting that progress. Students benefit from assembling their e-portfolios through the process of reviewing their own work with a critical eye, choosing pieces of their work that best represent their abilities, and reflecting on the transformative nature of their University experience, both in class and through extra-curricular, service learning, internships and international activities. An e-portfolio provides a …

Using Student Work Portfolios In The Classroom : Tips For Teachers, Marion Meiers

Marion Meiers

Portfolios of student work can be used in classrooms to support students' learning. Advice is provided on an introductory page for all students to place on the front pages of their portfolios, the contents of the portfolios, the students' role, collecting and selecting portfolio work samples, reviewing portfolios and giving feedback to students, using portfolios as classroom resources, and audiences for portfolios assembled by students.

Rethinking Electronic Portfolios To Promote Sustainability Among Teachers, Craig Shepherd, Stan Skrabut

Stan Skrabut

Electronic portfolios (eportfolios) can increase reflection, develop content and pedagogy skills and facilitate communication between teachers and administrators. However, they have limitations. Despite resources that teacher institutions devote to eportfolios, research suggests that most implementations are of limited duration. In a climate where sustained professional development and lifelong learning are necessary to remain competitive, organizations should reevaluate how eportfolios are implemented to sustain use and maintain skills deemed important by teaching organizations. Using principles of change theory, this article identifies several eportfolio challenges and how they may be improved through principles of personal learning environments. Implementation procedures and limitations are …

Career College Students' Perceptions Of Portfolios And Their Influence In The Hiring Process, Andrea J. Webb

Master of Education Research Theses

Two-year college enrollment continues to increase to meet the challenges of our changing economy. Due to this increased enrollment, it has become quite evident that more research in the area of two-year colleges is needed. Many two-year colleges have their students complete a portfolio upon graduation, to assist them in the competitive job market. Does the portfolio really help students get jobs? The contents of this paper follow a mixed-method study that involves surveying graduates of two-year colleges as well as interviewing employers who frequently hire two-year college graduates. Graduates from a number of two-year colleges were asked to complete …

Preparing A Professional Teaching Portfolio For An Art Teaching Position, Melanie L. Buffington

Art Education Publications

Over time, the idea of bringing a professional teaching portfolio to a job interview has become an expectation. Preparing these portfolios is a common part of teacher education programs and can be excellent preparation for a job interview. Additionally, teachers who are looking into changing positions will need to prepare a professional portfolio and this process may help them reflect on their practice too. The habits required for creating a professional teaching portfolio; including documenting classroom practices, reflecting on these practices, and organizing this content-are habits that can enhance teaching practice throughout a career.

Effective Practice With E-Portfolios: How Can The Uk Experience Inform Implementation?, Gordon Joyes, Lisa Gray, Elizabeth Hartnell-Young

Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young

This paper introduces the background to the JISC work within the e-portfolio domain in the UK and presents an overview of past and current activities and the drivers for these developments. This is followed by a review of JISC’s approach to drawing out the learning and implications for e-portfolio practice from this extensive collection of work and its dissemination. The analysis of twenty one recently funded projects involving the use of e-portfolios in the UK is introduced. The findings suggest that eportfolio implementation is particularly complex in part due to the number of stakeholders involved, the contexts in which e-portfolios …

An Examination Of The Use Of Portfolios For Faculty Evaluation At Community Colleges, Becky Sain, Mitchell R. Williams

Educational Foundations & Leadership Faculty Publications

This study provides community college leaders with insights regarding how administrators and faculty members perceive faculty portfolios as an evaluation tool in two-year colleges. Utilizing a qualitative design, this study focused on perceptions of administrators and faculty members regarding the use of portfolios as the primary instrument for faculty evaluation. Overall, faculty and administrators found portfolios useful when the process encouraged and allowed for faculty self-reflection and honest feedback from administrators.

The Youth Urban Planning Institute, Fred Nastvogel

Essays in Education

This is a heuristic reflection on the challenge of increasing student interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) as a meta-discipline. A simulation at the high school level is proposed to the end of meaningful integration of divers student capacities, urban melioration, long range networking, and individual portfolio development. There is a recognized need to encourage American youth to pursue careers in engineering and related fields of technology, mathematics, and science. One helpful tack would be to engage potential high school candidates in a design event addressing the real world issues of their own day-to-day environments. The strategy is …

The Use Of Teaching Portfolios For Academic Professional Development, Roisin Donnelly, Marian Fitzmaurice

Books/Book Chapters

This Postgraduate Certificate in Third Level Learning and Teaching is located in the Faculty of Academic Affairs in the Technological University Dublin (DIT) and is aimed at new and existing academic staff in third level institutions in the Republic of Ireland, including lecturers, librarians, and academic support staff, the latter two having responsibility for teaching in their areas. It was initially offered in 2000, and is continuing apace today, with currently over 90 academic staff having successfully graduated from the programme. The lecturers have been drawn from within DIT and a number of higher education institutions throughout the Republic of …

Digital Portfolios: Powerful Tools For Promoting Professional Growth And Reflection, Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, M Morriss

Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young

Providing ten steps to develop portfolios that demonstrate professional growth, this complete resource presents tips and strategies for using digital technology and guidelines for creating portfolios

Case Studies Of Good Practice In The Assessment Of Student Learning In Higher Education, Roisin Donnelly

Books/Book Chapters

There are two modules on the certificate programme. Module one is entitled ‘Learning and Teaching in Higher Education’. The aim of this module is to provide teachers in higher education with a wide range of practical learning and teaching methods, including the use of relevant learning technologies that will help their students learn more effectively. They will gain solid background knowledge in recognised theories and national and international best practices in learning and teaching in higher education so that they understand the reasons for choosing certain teaching strategies.

The Tutor’S Role As Academic Developer In Blended Problem-Based Learning In Higher Education, Roisin Donnelly

Books/Book Chapters

This chapter is written from the perspective of an academic developer engaged in blending e-learning and problem-based learning as a means of delivery of professional development for academic staff in higher education. There is undoubtedly a wider range of e-learning technologies that are available for use with the more traditional teaching and learning / instructional strategies, but the challenge faced by today’s academic developers is the development of e-learning technologies to support constructivism and social constructivism in learning approaches amongst the academic staff with whom they work, so that this is, in turn, is carried forward into their own classrooms …

Using Portfolios As Evidence Of Candidate Growth & Program Impact, Cynthia Carver, Paul Vellom, Katharine Cummings

Assessment Grants

Presentation on the use of portfolios for assessment in the Department of Teaching, Learning & Leadership.

Innovation In Practice : From Consumption To Creation, Elizabeth Hartnell-Young

Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young

This paper focuses on three aspects of innovation: its purpose of supporting lifelong learning during and after schooling, the ways that information and communications technology (ICT) supports learning and knowledge creation, and digital portfolios as an example of learning and innovation. Digital portfolios, containers of multimedia forms of evidence of activities, achievements and reflections, are just one way in which technology can support lifelong learning and the creation and sharing of knowledge.

Creating Spaces For Voices: The Portfolio As A Framework To Support Enquiry Into Third Level Teaching And Learning, Roisin Donnelly

Conference papers

This paper will discuss qualitative research that was conducted in our professional practice in supporting academic staff in third level learning and teaching. Our goal was to understand more fully the process of compiling a teaching portfolio through supporting the academic staff in their development of an authentic voice. The scholarship of teaching has been of growing interest to the institution from which this Postgraduate Certificate in Third Level Learning and Teaching Course is delivered. This reflects a worldwide focus. Badley's research on HEFCE (2002) "what is required is for all teaching to be animated by scholarship and for scholarship …