Electronic Portfolios (E-Portfolio)
The link for my ePortfolio https://my.orgsync.com/reemig67/involvement
An ePortfolio is a digitized collection of an
person’s, group’s, or organization’s work, presentations, and accomplishments
which can be easily organized, edited, and shared usually through websites such
as Blurb.com, Crevado, and FolioSpaces.
For this week’s assignment we were asked to explore
a variety of ePortfolio tools. After
investigating several wiki pages, ManeSync, FolioSpaces.org, Freeportfolio.org,
and Portfoliobox.net (which looked absolutely incredible!), I decided to go
with ManeSync because it is a service provided by Texas A&M Commerce and I
have absolutely no prior experience with the creation of an ePortfolio. I was surprised by the level confidence I
gained from the reflection portion of my ePortfolio. Helen Barrett points out in Create Your Own Electronic Portfolio that
an “An ePortfolio without reflection is
nothing more than a multimedia presentation, fancy electronic résumé, or a
digital scrapbook” (Barrett, 2000). I
now have a truer understanding of this quote after completing this activity,
this experience has provided me with an avenue by which I can self-evaluate my
past experiences and look at them through an objective lens. This technology is so much more interactive,
meaningful, and insightful than a simple printed version could be. Although this process was lengthy, it was
rewarding to see the fruits of my labor afterwards. When completed, my ePortfolio allowed me to easily
look back at the entirety of my academic accomplishments and work experiences. It was humbling to see how far I’ve come and
how much I’ve accomplished in my life.
Seeing myself showcased in this manner allowed me to truly appreciate my
personal and professional growth, giving me a sense of self-reliance which I
will hold dear during the remainder of my studies and into my future career as
a library media specialist. E-Portfolios
really do serve as a living resume; it is so much more informative to a future
employer than one in print. Until this
assignment, I was impressed with my written resume but now it pales in
comparison to the digital version. My
eyes are now open to the possibilities and benefits of an electronic portfolio
and, looking back, I really don’t know what I was so nervous about. I guess it was nothing more than a fear of
the unknown, a fear of change. Thank you
for this opportunity for growth, I know it will pay great dividends going
forward.
Wiki Pages:
Although wikis are a resource I have used on many
occasions for data collection, I avoided them in the creation of my ePortfolio
because I am not a fan of other individuals being able to leave remarks
directly on my page. Wikis are
conglomerations of facts, ideas, and opinions from a multitude of individuals
but in the case of my ePortfolio the only voice I want to be heard is my own. If, however, I had a classroom assignment in
which I wanted to give each of my students an opportunity to express their
ideas on a given topic to be considered along with the rest of the class, I
would probably choose a wiki page instead of a website. The collaboration of the class, their shared
ideas, their responses and discussions within the framework of the wiki would,
in my opinion, give them an opportunity to thoroughly explore given material
and gain an understanding of the topic with a depth and breadth which would
probably not be possible in a regular classroom setting. Those reluctant to contribute verbally could
find their voice through this type of activity and collectively, the whole
would be greater than the sum its parts.
Websites:
The most direct affordance I encountered within the
webpage were its’ labels. They were unmistakably
marked, easily understood, and helped to organize the information in a way that
was both clear and precise. Their choice
of labels effortlessly communicated their functionality to the individual
creating the ePortfolio as well as to any who read and examine it, navigation
was a breeze. Another affordance I
enjoyed immensely, and also the main reason for me choosing a webpage over a
wiki, is their plasticity. Webpages are,
as a whole, much more appealing to the eye than wiki pages. One can choose to enable comments or not,
templates are varied and attractive, and the setup was easy and intuitive. Websites allow me an avenue of self expression,
customization, and creativity which I gravitate towards, again something which
was lacking and sorely needed within wiki pages.
REFERENCES
Barrett,
Helen (2000, April). Create Your Own
Electronic Portfolio. Learning & Leading with Technology Vol. 27, No.
7, pp. 14-21.
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