This week I had an opportunity to start evaluating online portfolios, and I have found the process to be interesting. Prior to this task, I have always thought of teacher portfolios as collections of works gathered throughout the years and housed in locked filing cabinets. These guarded secrets were rarely talked about and seldom seen, but I always knew they existed. I applaud the willingness of teachers to put their work into cyberspace to be closely scrutinized by graduate students. With that said, there are varying degrees of skill and thoroughness in these portfolios. If these portfolios are reflections of the teachers that created them, then there are a wide variety of talents available for employment.
As I embark on creating my own online portfolio, I have initial feelings of trepidation. Throughout this program I have tried to complete my assignments to the best of my ability, and now we are asked to match our assignments to state standards. I am hoping that I will be able to accomplish this task, but I also wonder if this will be something that can be improved throughout the graduate program. It stands to reason that artifacts to be included in the collection would have been created with standards in mind, rather than now trying to figure out which standards they meet. This is not a criticism of the program, but something to be considered in the future. I wonder if I will have to significantly alter my work to make assignments adequately cover a wide range of standards. Hopefully, for the sake of my sanity and marriage, that will not be the case.
I am looking forward to pursuing a project of my own choosing. There are so many areas that I feel need further study, and I am enthusiastic about exploring some of these areas. I think the biggest challenge with the assignment will be limiting the scope enough to be effective. I don't want to take on a task that is either too large or too small, yet it will be difficult to determine this at the onset. Either way, this might be the most meaningful assignment of the program for me, and I am gearing up for the challenge. :)
I am also excited to start a project of my own choosing. Like you said however, there is so much to choose from. I am also hoping i can focus in on something relevant. I like your comment about sanity and marriage. Are they connected?? (jk) I agree it takes some courage to put your portfolio online for the world to see. If they didn't though I would have not been able to get started.
ReplyDeleteThis project will be great because we get too solely choose what we want to utilize. I am concerned, as well, at picking something that may be way too in-depth.
ReplyDeleteI do wish that we could do a portfolio experience that we could completely set up one of the classes that we are currently teaching. I think by uploading the information we will show the instructors we know how to completely set up an online course environment.
Ryan, I agree that now working to align the standards does seem slightly backward. In hindsight it may be beneficial to determine the standards as a component of each assignment's rubric along the way. I fear that the instructor's may have difficulty assessing all different fields and grade levels perhaps?
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