ePortfolio

AAEEBL (The Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-Based Learning) is a leader in the ePortfolio community. They developed a webinar series and invited different companies to present their platforms. All webinars are archived and available for review. "This webinar series came about," explained Stanford's Helen Chen of EPAC, "because no matter how much we emphasize that the teaching and learning with eportfolios is a priority over the technology, questions always arise about eportfolio platforms. Therefore, we thought it would be a good service to the eportfolio community to offer this webinar series and to address specific issues that arise in relation to the technologies of eportfolios."

The most comprehensive list of ePortfolio tools and technologies. EPAC = Electronic Portfolio Action and Communication

Helen Barrett, Grandmother of ePortfolios postulates a discusson about using ePortfolios in college and career counseling. From the National Educational Technology Plan: "Technology also gives students opportunities for taking ownership of their learning. Student-managed electronic learning portfolios can be part of a persistent learning record and help students develop the self-awareness required to set their own learning goals, express their own views of their strengths, weaknesses, and achievements, and take responsibility for them. Educators can use them to gauge students' development, and they also can be shared with peers, parents, and others who are part of students' extended network. (p.12)"

Helen Barrett, a pioner in ePorfolios shares an ePortfolio of her own documenting her thoughts on the subject through articles she wrote over the course of 15 years. The articles document the evolution of ePortfolios into what we have today.

Helen Barrett has worked in both K-12 and Higher Education Although this blog post was written in 2010, finding resources and support for eP development in K-12 seems clear. "K-12 has little to no funding for ePortfolio..." "The K-12 culture is very different from higher education. Professional development is very different, their reasons for implementing ePortfolios are different, and the tools/strategies they use are also different. Most schools don't have the level of technology support that you will find in most higher ed institutions (unless they are a private or international school). The time constraints are also very different. They squeeze in PD in one- and two-hour blocks. But from my observations from the Intermediate (middle) school that I visited in New Zealand, it is the small incremental trainings on a regular basis (before and after school) that makes a difference in how well teachers implement technology in teaching and students' learning."

Before embarking on an ePortfolio journey, teacher/school must decide the purpose... based on the needs, the design and learning outcomes will differ.

A look at how ePortfolios help as we reach electronic saturation.

Bulleted list of how ePrtfolios benefit students, educators, employers and corporate companies from a process and product point of view.

Interesting article discussing ePortfolios in respect to 21st Century learning and the need to have a place to showcase the learning. Several examples of different schools who have implemented

A frank discussion of ePortfolios and their use as determinants for employability

This article is a basic and quick look at the fundamental benefits of ePortfolios for the student and teacher.

A discussion about the value of ePortfolio's in the k-12 setting. Section 2-05: ElectronicPortfolio's lays out a Teacher Plan, sample Student Lesson, Grading Rubric and examples of a Introduction Presentation, Introductory Worksheet, First Submission, Yesterday Submission, and Today Submission

The Rice Lake School Board approved an E-Portfolio graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2014. The E-Portfolio has four categories: Academic/Achievement Artifacts, Career, Personal, and Service Learning. Students are required to include evidence that showcases their learning and growth throughout high school in all four categories. Good guidelines to follow when implementing an ePortfolio program at a High School

Good site defining what an ePortfolio is, why use ePortfolio's, Beginning guidelines and examples from multiple schools who have implemented them.

Multiple listings for teacher grant opportunities. Also, link to Grants Page for NYC Department of Education staff (log in required).

"Kids In Need Teacher Grants provide K-12 educators with funding to provide innovative learning opportunities for their students. The Kids In Need Foundation helps to engage students in the learning process by supporting our most creative and important educational resource - our nation's teachers. "

"The "Grants for K-12" Index provides a guide to grants for school programs, curriculum development, and staff professional development for teachers, as well as grants for specific topic areas such as science, math, technology, social studies, geography, reading, learning via web quests, and other technological training. Build on the strengths of your present programs, expand your present offerings, or create new and challenging courses with the help of cash, hardware, software, computer/IT training, and staff professional development or funding for new programs and curriculum development."

"The "Educational Technology" Index will allow K-20 schools, after-school programs, non-profit educational organizations, colleges and universities to meet the constant challenge of providing up- to-date technological training, equipment and materials by drawing on new available resources. Expand your present offerings, or create new and challenging courses with the help of cash grants, hardware, software, computer/IT training, and staff professional development grants, as well as funding for new programs and curriculum development."

Helen Barrett shares a great chart which compares the two most common purposes of ePortfolios, Learning or Reflection, and Showcasing or Accountability.