I like to make pro and con lists for myself, so when I see them somewhere else I am always interested. On page 285, there is a list and table that gives the pros and cons to a digital portfolio. Seeing as we are going to have to create our own ePortfolio, I was intrigued. Having a digital portfolio is good because it is easily accessible, anyone with internet (which is almost everyone) has the ability to access said ePortfolio. It is also easy to carry around, instead of having a stack of papers, all you need is some kind of electronic device. Digital portfolios give the creator the ability to use creativity to express their skills, interests, and accomplishments. Digital portfolios also expand the network that a paper portfolio reaches.
The down side of having a digital portfolio is that if you are not well educated in technology, it is a harder task to accomplish. It also requires the person to spend a great deal of time on learning how to use the technology. Digital portfolios don't always reach the goal audience either, and the digital portfolios give the creator the idea of enhancing the look of the portfolio rather than the information.
Created by Jeanine Giuliano
Although there are several pros and several cons, I feel that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
The preassessments remind me of when I was in elementary school, and when a lesson was just beginning, we would fill out the KWL charts. The KWL charts were made up of three columns; the first was the K column in which we wrote what we Know about the subject, the second was the column where we would write what we Want to know, and the third was the column that we would write what we Learned after the lesson. They were a way to get students interested in the subject at hand, and I am glad that I was reminded, so that I can use them for my future students,
I really liked the idea of teaching with a clicker. Most students enjoy being involved in the lesson plan, and I think it is a new way to integrate the student participation in class.
Resources:
Giuliano, J. (2015). Survey. Created with Surveymonkey.com
Maloy, R., O'Loughlin, R., Edwards, S., & Woolf, B. (2013). Transforming Learning with New Technologies. 2nd Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Thoughtful and comprehensive reflection on the digital portfolios...of course, I could turn those cons into pros but the technology is definitely a drawback for so many. ;) And, we must always be cognizant of those individual differences. Creating such a portfolio with students over the course of a year would be powerful evidence of learning and accomplishments (kind of like a 'before' and 'after' make-over). Thanks for your survey, too - I like that you found a way to include it.
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