QUESTIONS What are the purposes of portfolios in general? 2. What elements does a teaching portfolio usually contain? 3. How much information should be in a portfolio? 4. What should NOT go in a portfolio? 5. What are the benefits of having a portfolio online? 6.When should I begin creating a portfolio? 7. What are the usual steps in creating an online portfolio? 8. How do I put portfolio elements online? 9. What online tools/templates are helpful for creating online portfolios? 10. How long does it take to create an online teaching portfolio?

QUESTIONS What makes a portfolio look unified, coherent, and professional? 12. How can I keep my online portfolio up to date? 13. What are possible ways for potential employers to view the materials in my online portfolio? 14. What can I do to protect private information in my online portfolio? 15. Can I make an online portfolio private? 16. What are common pitfalls in creating online portfolios? 17. What style of language is appropriate in an online portfolio? 18. Do I need to buy a domain name? 19. Where can I find examples of online portfolios? 20. Where can I learn more about creating online portfolios?

1. What are the purposes of portfolios in general? Paul Cave Daniel Smith Lydia Ripplinger Katelyn Gentry Seek out / present yourself to potential employers Demonstrate background and qualifications Highlight education, experience, accomplishments, and best work Professional development

2. What elements does a teaching portfolio usually contain? Philosophy Statement Resume / CV Lesson Plans Activities Materials References Teaching videos Syllabi Evaluations Observations Professional conduct plan Statement of purpose / Cover letter Assessments Education Resources

3. How much information should be in a portfolio? A portfolio shows a selection, not a complete collection Develop a framework Exhibit your best work List the best first If needed you can make different portfolios for different purposes

4. What should NOT go in a portfolio? Personal information Address Age Marital status Embarrassing personal photos Social security number Times you are at home Life story Phone number Irrelevant information

5. What are the benefits of having a portfolio online? Daniel Smith Digital Format: Videos Instantly available Communicates easily Reach out to employers International nature of TESOL Demonstrates technological ability Makes you stand out Easy access for hiring committees

6. When should I begin creating a portfolio? The sooner the better Build a framework now - Fill it in as you go Collect materials while teaching Gather resources from colleagues Continually collect!

7. What are the usual steps in creating an online portfolio? 1.Plan your overall goal / purpose 2.Gather materials 3.Select your best work 4.Digitize materials 5.Select a hosting site 6.Compile work online

8. How do I put portfolio elements online? Digitize all portfolio elements Select a hosting site (see question 9) Follow given templates – let’s face it, most of us do TESOL not technology! Many sites have helpful tutorials

9. What online tools/templates are helpful for creating online portfolios? Google Sites Wordpress Blogspot Wix Weebly Iweb GoDaddy Microsoft Office (Web Pages) Youtube Powerpoint

10. How long does it take to create an online teaching portfolio? It depends on your technological proficiency It depends on how much material you have Following templates and using tutorials will speed up the process Having your materials compiled will save time Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone who knows the process

11. What makes a portfolio look unified, coherent, and professional? Decide on a style or format early and then stick to it Use the same format for all your materials Follow your hosting site’s professionally-created templates

12. How can I keep my online portfolio up to date? Remember your login information – write it down Embed Google Documents in your portfolio Visit your online portfolio frequently Keep files in formats that are easy to download / upload Choose a hosting site that is easy for you to work with

13. What are possible ways for potential employers to view the materials in my online portfolio? Copy and paste the file for immediate view Download a PDF or Doc file Link to Google Docs Put a link to your online portfolio in your resume Materials can be viewed in the following ways:

14. What can I do to protect private information in my online portfolio? Html form Contact information built as an image Text built as an image Services.nexodyne.com Saf .justlikeed.net Google Voice Link to references’ website

15. Can I make my online portfolio private? Yes if you use Google sites a blog Dropbox Simply send the link to those you want to be able to view the portfolio

16. What are common pitfalls in creating online portfolios? Poor formatting (use the templates) Too many pages Too busy Bad typeface selection Culturally inappropriate information Too many typefaces (limit yourself to one or two) Too casual (be professional) Glamour shots Personal information

17. What style of language is appropriate in an online portfolio? Professional language Grammatically correct language Correct spelling Academic language Avoid slang and non- professional abbreviations – this is not a text or Facebook

18. Do I need to buy a domain name? No but you can if you want (ie GoDaddy – just a few dollars per year) The benefit of a domain name is it is short and easy to remember There are many simple and free web hosting sites

19. Where can I find examples of online portfolios? Ben McMurry’s Blog BYU student portfolios Teacher Tap Google it!

Ben McMurry’s Blog 20. Where can I learn more about creating online portfolios? Ben McMurry’s Tutorials