Digital+Portfolios

__Digital Portfolios: How the Side Effects Transform Schools__ by David Niguidula, Ideas Consulting (RI)

David's portfolios were centered around a particular software system but many of his principles can be applied generally to all digital portfolios: 1. Portfolios should be linked to curriculum standards 2. Students need to understand the standards and rubrics to which they are being assessed to choose their best work 3. Students should collaborate with the teacher on what goes into the portfolio 4. Portfolios should not just be a storehouse for all student work 5. Digital portfolios should be flexible enough to attach 6. Students must understand how to reflect on their own work 7. There are several advantages to digital portfolios: 8. Teachers can insert their own overview of the assignment 9. Portfolios are a reflection of best practices that we already do in our classrooms 10. How can a school's culture support digital portfolios? 11. Conclusion: When is innovation effective?
 * photos
 * word docs
 * student reflections (ie blogs, video)
 * With effective reflection students are learning how to learn
 * In a video/ blog students would need to explain the purpose of the assignment, what the standards/ requirements were, and how they measured up to those standards/ requirements
 * Asking the right questions
 * What are my strengths?
 * What areas do I need to work on?
 * How much effort did I put into this? (I can see this question in my regular classes. The good thing is that they can replace items in their portfolios as they do better work!)
 * Retention
 * Why is this an example of my best work?
 * What have I accomplished?
 * How did I grow as a learner/ reader/ writer?
 * It can be paperless
 * It is student centered
 * It is public
 * which forces students to think about the wider audience that will view their work
 * they will put more effort into creating their portfolio
 * Parents can view the portfolio at any time
 * more conversations at home as to what is going on in school and in your class
 * more effective conferences as parents can come in with specific conversations around student work
 * Describe the lesson/ activity/ assessment
 * Describe the skills that are needed in the lesson/ activity/ assessment
 * This can be done once (as text/ video/ blog) and copied into (or attached) to their portfolios
 * You can create a feedback section for parents to respond to their child's learning
 * Unit planning (essential questions, content, skills, assessment, resources)
 * Using portfolios to evaluate student work + assessment data and make revisions to curriculum based on student work
 * Adds to our conversations in our PLC groups at AWest
 * Common vision
 * Common purpose
 * Common audience
 * Based on assessment
 * How do we decide what is effective as a content team?
 * Are we giving consistent feedback?
 * Technology
 * What tools do we use?
 * What support do we have?
 * Logistics
 * How can we build on what we already do and not add more work?
 * Culture
 * What has to change?
 * When it solves a problem
 * When its supported by teachers and used by teachers
 * When it is integrated into the culture of the school