Summary of the Electronic Portfolio Project Pre-Practicum Meeting March 27, 2007 Good morning

Presentation Outline What We Know About Portfolios Winter Session Terms 1 and 2 Practicum E-Portfolio Sample This is a summary of the e-portfolio project This will be my third year working with e-portfolios in the PBL cohort. My second using the ASR’s Standards of Practice as a framework to support the students in the selection of artifacts

“The process of creating this portfolio has made me think about my year in the education program, and make links and connections where I might not have otherwise made them.” This quote is from a portfolio I will be sharing with you later. What stands out about this student’s response is that the portfolio project he was involved in last year enabled him to reflect meaningfully on the whole year’s experience as opposed to thinking about campus and practicum learning individually The students’ personal experiences were valued. Creating a portfolio encouraged the development of the their own theories of learning as they developed their teacher knowledge in different contexts

Teacher Knowledge Portfolios provide a context for links and connections Key connections begin with a deep understanding of knowledge constructed on campus We know as this learner stated that portfolios offer a context for providing evidence of professional growth and ability In assigning the e-portfolio project we are striving to direct the pre-service teachers’ focus beyond a campus only or practicum only file of artifacts The portfolio project has been designed so that students document their academic learning during Winter Session courses Requiring that students discover direct links between their academic knowledge, Standards of Practice and their own reflective understanding of their educational growth enables them to gain insights into their own theories of learning as they are developing their teacher identities

Situated Learning Portfolios enable pre-service teachers to make links and connections between learning contexts Campus - Practicum connections Self as learner - Pupils as learners Self as learner - Self as teacher Having acquired and reflected on teacher knowledge during the Winter Session coursework and continued portfolio development through practica/field experiences allows pre-service teachers to utilize campus knowledge within the practica experiences, linking elements that are key to refining their practice Pre-service teachers are confident reflecting on course assignments and lesson plans (management) the e-portfolio project challenges students to make connections where they might not otherwise do so in order to become reflective practitioners

Winter Session Terms 1 and 2 Campus e-portfolio information sessions Tech coach training One assignment demonstrating beginning steps with their e-portfolio All students were introduced to the BCCT Standards , the UBC ASR, and the plan for student produced professional e-portfolios in the fall Workshops for the tech coaches throughout Winter Session I’ve presented several workshops on artifact selection and portfolio reflections

What is an Artifact? Artifacts could include: • assessments/evaluations • teaching philosophy/goal statements • course assignments/curriculum unit plans • professional development • video clips • audio files What artifacts might students collect during their field experiences? Community involvement, assessment data, report card writing, field trips, critical incidents, reflections of lessons taught, relationships…

How Are Reflections Significant? Explain the rationale for including an artifact Link artifacts to the Standards of Practice Explain connections between campus knowledge and situated learning key to the portfolio is for every artifact there must be a reflection ownership Intellectual work--not a scrapbook

Practicum Formalizing and enriching conversations that already occur Ongoing dialogue during observation debriefs could include direct reflection around links between current practice (UBC Checklist) and portfolio artifact selection Does not mean a significant change in your time and what you are already doing in the schools During Debriefs discuss what was observed: what worked (campus knowledge) What needs improving (campus knowledge) and how that will happen Where do you see this fitting in your portfolio? E.g Standards of Practice What have you done over the week since my last visit? Still students of teaching--never teaching 100% reflection part of program to document their learning

Artifact Selection Criteria Does this artifact provide evidence of professional growth? Does this artifact illustrate attainment of one or more of the Standards of Practice? Can I create a reflection for this artifact that will explain its relevance? Something I have shared with the pre-service teachers Formalizing what you already say Acts a reminder to the pre-service that they are responsible to document their learning

Possible Timeline Ongoing lesson debriefs Initial Phase of the Extended Practicum: Evaluation Checklist Continued lesson debriefs Final weeks: Creating and presenting final product Mentioned --getting the pre-service teacher involved in the process of self evaluation What did you learn? How do you know what you’ve learned is good?linking coursework with field experience---good teacher because they went to university Student responsible for bringing artifact(s) that they believe meet the selection criteria for their portfolio to meeting Share self assessment of their artifact Process vs product--peer assessment of product looking at artifacts and reflections

Resources • ASR http://educ.ubc.ca/about/standards • Template http://educ.ubc.ca/courses/coaches Sample E-Portfolios http://dkrug.com/seeds (’05-’06 Sec. 203 & 213) Helen Barrett http://electronicportfolios.com ASR--outlines artifacts that might demonstrate competency in each standard