What to Consider When Planning for Electronic Portfolios - ISTE Article 8

Strategic Questions, What to Consider When Planning for Electronic Portfolios, by Helen C. Barrett

An electronic portfolio, a record of student work that demonstrates student achievement or improvement.

A portfolio should include:
*learner goals
• guidelines for selecting materials
(to keep the collection from growing
haphazardly)
• work samples chosen by both student
and teacher
• teacher feedback
• student self-reflection pieces
• clear and appropriate criteria for
evaluating work (rubrics based on
standards)
• standards and examples of good work

Question 1: Why keep a student portfolio? I believe a portfolio I a good idea for several reasons. First, it allows teachers to show parents and students the work the student has submitted, and how it relates to the included rubric. This way, when a parent wants to know why the student received a particular grade, there is a trail of evidence. Also, a portfolio can be used to apply for jobs or grants to show exemplary work. For legal reasons, a portfolio is a good idea. Because it presents a legal record to document what the student has accomplished and how the teacher has administered the coursework. Finally, a portfolio allows a teacher to keep track of each student's work to assign a fair grade.

Question 2: How can we bring electronic portfolios into the classrooms of tomorrow? Fortunately, since this article was written twelve years ago, there are now freely available electronic portfolios to use such as Tasksteam. All the students need to do is access a computer either at home or at the school's computer center to submit electronic assignments to contribute to their portfolio.

Barrett, H. (1998). Strategic Questions, What to Consider When Planning for Electronic Portfolios. Learning and Leading with Technology, 26 (2) pp. 6-13

Ryan Kelly