Portfolio-Pre-Course-Overview

Writing Traits - A Professional
Development Workshop

Pre-Course Overview

Your Professional e-Portfolio

You Already Have a Good Start!

You developed an online e-portfolio demonstrating Web 2.0 tools and Moodle discussion work as the final project for E-Learning for educators.

You initiated a detailed reflective blog in Assessment in E-Learning.

You wrote a design document for one unit of instruction for Instruction Design.

You created a checklist of artifacts from your final projects in Creating Collaborative Communities.

If you haven't already done so, review and use the feedback you received on your projects to revise your work.

Review at all of the deliverables you've built during the Certificate training. These artifacts of learning are the building blocks of your professional online portfolio.

Next Steps: Demonstrate Professional Understanding

Your new task is gather essential elements created in all your classes into an online portfolio. The goal is to demonstrate your understanding of e-learning and online teaching.

This means going beyond simple linking to artifacts. You must also provide reflective commentary about each artifact that demonstrates your understanding of e-learning.

Reflective introductons for each of your artifacts will provide context for the specific project while explaining the global e-learning principles upon with the work is based. Ultimately this is your chance to prove both your technical and subject area competence.

Consider Your Audience

Woman holds poster says here's what I can do

Assumption: You want to work as an online teacher. This means you want a job and a chance to build experience as you explore new career opportunities. With this in mind create a portfolio that will help you get work in online teaching and learning.

This means you need to do the following things:

Create a professional presence on the web.

Demonstrate technical competence in your web presentation.

Demonstrate an understanding of basic web design as shown in consistent navigation schemes, legible fonts, appropriate use of imagery, and basic 508 accessibility tags.

Present substantial artifacts supported by descriptive reflections to clearly demonstrate your professional understanding of e-learning concepts.

Think of your online portfolio as a 24/7 job interview!

world wide web

Web Hosting Options:

If you already have a developed website, wiki, or blog that you see as the launching pad for your e-portfolio work, use it.

If you want to move your work to a new platform, this is the time. However do not wait until the last moment to make a move. Give yourself extra time!

Flash Template Driven Systems:

If you feel your web building skills are inadequate for the task, you can use one of the 'drag and drop' sites based on the Web 2.0 programming technology called Ajax. Consider Wix, Weebly and Jimdo as possible ways to build a sophisticated site without advanced html skills. Thes sites produce fine looking websites, but offer less flexibility than non-flash driven sites.

Keep in mind that flash template driven sites are harder to customize. If you plan to copy word processor text into templates, consider using Notepad or some other text editor as a way to filter out hidden word processing codes that can cause font and formatting issues when translated to the web.

First copy your Word files to the text editor. This will remove problem formatting and codes.
Next copy from the text edtior to the online template.
Then reformat with the online system's tools.

Exemplary Portfolios from previous classes

Ann Pestorious (Fall 2009)