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Mid-Atlantic Regional Technology in Education Consortium
1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave.
Ritter Annex 9th Floor
Temple University - CRHDE
Philadelphia, PA 19122
800-892-5550
215-204-5130 (fax)
General Inquires:
Laurence Peters
Judith Stull
Technical Assistance:
Barry Mansfield
Professional Development:
Joan Pasternak
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Temple University Center for Research
in Human Development and Education |
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Throughout the course of the semester, however, problems occurred and there were times when the class became skeptical as to the worth of the e-portfolio as compared to the traditional paper one. Due to security issues, some students had difficulty posting from their home or dormitory computers. Then, there were times when the server was down. Further, as the students began to explore the best way to design their websites, they felt that the e-portfolio made the management and organization of their work samples more difficult and time consuming than with the traditional three-ringed binder. There was no model to follow, and they had to think about choices and the subsequent impact on design and organization of the website.
Undoubtedly, the spring semester pilot was a process in which both students and their instructor made and learned from their mistakes. The problems encountered during the process provided a context for developing a greater sense of community, technological expertise, and ability to reflect upon practice. Although help was only a click away with an online tutorial, students preferred to ask one another for assistance both online and in class. They also could be |
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observed enthusiastically sharing new discoveries and exchanging ideas and views with their peers before and after class; it was not unusual to find students arriving early or staying late to work with another student on the e-portfolio. As their confidence grew with their web authoring skills, they were willing to undertake new challenges such as using presentation software like PowerPoint or organizing notes and ideas using software like Inspiration. Like so many journeys, this one led inward; students were becoming reflective thinkers in both their speaking and writing
If one of the goals of a teacher education program is to give preservice teachers the ability to reflect on the problems they experience and search for ways to act and respond, then the e-portfolio was successful. Presentation of the portfolio by each student at the conclusion of the course gave concrete evidence of the road traveled and distance covered in terms of student growth toward and development of the NJPS. The portfolio allowed each student to reflect on initial goals and publicly affirm accomplishments in light of the NJPS. It also provided the professor with the basis for future planning by virtue of its context responsiveness; it gave students the opportunity to connect results with actions. Students in the pilot took pride in and found meaning in the collection of their work, experiences, and thoughts in an online electronic format. Students displayed a high level of motivation throughout the semester as a meaningful sense of competence emerged; they were eager to use and incorporate a variety of software.
Noteworthy was the shift in the instructor’s role from conveyor of information to that of academic coach and the resultant collaborative learning that emerged. During the course of the journey, much time and effort was involved in redesigning the course from compelling, content-based lessons to project-based activities that fostered meaningful interactions among the students. The greatest learning curve was the technical mastery for both the instructor and the students. Once the instructor became comfortable with the software, particularly for webpage design, the next step was determining the best fit with the curriculum. Once the students became comfortable with the software, they soared! Overall, the outcomes were most successful and are contained on the following website: http://edfolio.fdu.edu/BaldwinD/stories/storyReader$22.
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