e-portfolios in education

Early Childhood Educators have been using child portfolios as formative assessment tools for many years. Visual artists use portfolios to present their body of work to schools and potential employers. Organizations who require accreditation also use portfolios as a testament to their quality.  As a Project Site Director to several pre-k programs, I have assessed and created portfolios in both paper and digital forms. Our entire NHPS School Readiness Program Portfolio is maintained online through School Chapters. 

Now it is time for me to develop an online portfolio or  e-portfolio, for my graduate coursework in IT&DML at the university of New Haven.  I have read several articles and seen samples of e-portfolios and have determined the type I think best suits my needs as a Showcase Portfolio.

In his article, Authentic Assessment Toolbox, Jon Mueller describes three types of e-portfolios as such: 

1. Growth Portfolios

a. to show growth or change over time
b. to help develop process skills such as self-evaluation and goal-setting
c. to identify strengths and weaknesses
d. to track the development of one more products/performances

2. Showcase Portfolios

a. to showcase end-of-year/semester accomplishments
b. to prepare a sample of best work for employment or college admission
c. to showcase student perceptions of favorite, best or most important work
d. to communicate a student's current aptitudes to future teachers

3. Evaluation Portfolios

a. to document achievement for grading purposes
b. to document progress towards standards
c. to place students appropriately

Mueller states that before beginning, one must decide on the PURPOSE, AUDIENCE and CONTENT of the portfolio. He also provides a rubric with ideas for specific items to include for each type of portfolio.
I am interested in highlighting some the learning I was most excited about throughout this coursework. I know Sherry Turkle's book Alone Together, made me want to share my thoughts, and I found my voice in my blogs Gail's Musings.  I was also very excited by using Storify and Haiku Deck to document my learning, and will select some of my best work to present in my e-portfolio.  I have also developed a website that combines the IT&DML coursework and my work at New Haven Public Schools in Early Childhood Education: Mrs.D for ECE. I will be adding to and cleaning up the site to present. I enjoyed participating in the DLMOOC and earning my first online Badges, so may present the work I submitted for the badges. I am looking forward to curating and creating my e-portfolio.