Eportfolios with Comprehensive Proficiency, Artifact, and Caption

I see students’ proficiency eportfolios as a three legged stool for demonstrating the proficiency

The first leg is their ability to focus on the proficiency in a comprehensive way. When a proficiency has five different subparts and the students show a limited knowledge of the proficiency or only one or two aspects of the proficiency, then their stool leg does not support the proficiency.

The second leg is their artifacts or evidence that illustrates that proficiency. A picture of a student teacher administering an informal assessment is not as strong a support as a picture of the actual assessment.

The third leg is the captions that connects the artifacts to the proficiency. A caption such as “cooperative learning” is a weak support while “Engaging students in inquiry science through lung creation cooperative learning activity” provides a solid support.

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Eportfolios Show Students’ Proficiency Discrepancies

Recently I watched numerous students show their eportfolios based on the university’s proficiencies. I was very impressed with all the great activities the students showed. I was not impressed by how they proved that they could demonstrate the proficiencies.

 

In our proficiency on assessment, students will show: many different assessments; pre, during and post assessments; use of assessment data to plan for and adapt instruction for individuals with different needs and abilities; and use of assessment data to plan instruction for groups and whole classes

All the students showed that they knew many different types of assessments and they knew how to use pre, during and post assessments; very few students showed how they used the information gained from these assessments to modify instruction for individuals and to modify instruction for the whole class.

 

Due to the compact nature of the eportfolio, it was easy to see the discrepancy between knowledge of and understanding the real reason for assessment.

Videoconferencing in education: Students, Administration, Faculty, Community

Students

Collaborate with students in other schools who are working on the same learning project such as pollution.

Peer critique students from another school who are working on the same standard.

Share an expert ( a university professor may work with students from several schools)

Take a courses within the school district (one AP teacher for the 10 students in one school and 13 in another). Likewise, take a course with other districts. One Latin teacher for several districts.

Do research by videoconferencing with experts in their universities, labs, business, or museum

Join a cultural celebration such as a

Have an expert assess your project. A corporate business person can review ads created by art students

Practice your new language with people from that language area.

Teach a topic to students from another school (no need to travel or to limit where the students are)

Attend class even if hospitalized or at home.

Do portfolio reviews where the reviewers are there via videoconferencing. Same for science projects reviews.

Inquire about a college by interviewing with a recruiter and students from that university.

Interview for a job in business.

 

District/Administration

Have many district wide meetings through videoconference so faculty do not have to drive to other distant schools.

Special Education Diagnosis can be done with experts from one location talking to a student in another location.

Interview teacher candidates or future administrators

Meet with lawyer or contractors.

See student or faculty Board presentations when the students or faculty are in a far away school.

 

Professional Development:

Provide professional development from one site to all the schools within the district.

Have a virtual expert teach a professional development even though she lives on a different continent.

View sample lessons using a specific technique. Teachers can watch a classroom teacher as he/she actually teaches using the technique; after class they can talk with that teacher.

 

Faculty:

Can co-teach a course over two buildings. Build on the strengths of both teachers.

Ability to interact “face-to-face” with teachers of the same subject area to plan a common course, lessons or assessments.

 

Community Events:

Sister school or sister community exchanges

For large areas, have videoconferences to bring all the people together to discuss a topic or celebrate a special day.