Audience
"Digital tools have a place, but they should not be the focus."
Access-Purpose-Audience all addressed in this IHE ePortfolio system plan.
Audience
Purpose
The tool selected to capture learning is secondary to the 'big idea' itself compiling a dynamic collection of information from many sources, in many forms and with many purposes, all aimed at presenting the most complete story possible of a student's learning experience.
Digital student portfolios can provide what other assessment tools cannot: Real, unabridged, minimally processed artifacts of learning that make sense to all the learners in the classroom, including the teacher. Technology used in this way can bring us as close as we can get to peering inside our students’ hearts and minds to find out what they currently know and are able to do.
With yesterday’s launch of my new eBook, this question seems to come up the most. It is sometimes followed up with...
Students and teachers can use digital tools to document current understandings, make revisions as thinking changes, share student products both locally and globally and celebrate successes with peers and parents. Although this practice is only one part of a balanced assessment system, there are many benefits that learners, both student and teacher, can gain for developing digital portfolios.
The particular software and services used to create these portfolios is a subject of some interest, to be sure, but it is secondary to the “big idea” itself: compiling a dynamic collection of information from many sources, in many forms and with many purposes, all aimed at presenting the most complete story possible of a student’s learning experience.
We just added an additional screencast to the book. It is titled Progress and Performance Portfolios in Action:
This quick video explores one way a teacher might utilize digital tools such as an iPad and Evernote during instruction.
You can now preorder my book through Powerful Learning Press by clicking here. If you order before July 15, use the code PORTFOLIOS to get $2 off.
As 21st century educators, we don’t have to be tethered to technology to reap the benefits. By using digital tools such as Evernote and Post-Its to support quality instruction, instead of the other way around, we can stay focused on the learner and their needs.