e-Portfolios at Penn State

Winterfest Date Set

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:13:50 -0500

We have the particulars for our e-Portfolio Session during Winterfest. I will let you know when registration opens.
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Title: Creating an Electronic Portfolio: Developing a Professional Presence on the Web
Date: Tuesday, January 5th
Time: 10:00AM - Noon
Location: 23 Willard

Description:
Electronic Portfolios (e-Portfolios) are dynamic, developmental spaces representing your professional "self" on the Web. They are becoming standard practice for academics, students, and professionals and typically include examples of skills and achievements, as well as a reflective blog element. This hands-on workshop is designed to help attendees become comfortable publishing on the Web.

Objectives:

Practice publishing to the Web
Create your portfolio space
Write a reflective blog post
Search and comment on the blogs of others
Add additional material to your portfolio, including tabs and media
Use tags and categories to organize content
Discover ways to keep a vibrant portfolio

Prerequisite(s):
A Penn State Personal Web space account (if you have not already activated your Personal Web space, apply at https://work.psu.edu/webspace/ two days prior to the date of this workshop); Familiarity with The Blogs at Penn State (https://blogs.psu.edu)

Prior to attending this workshop, please complete the following:

Think of a name for your portfolio space.
Think about samples you want to include, such as photos, multimedia files, articles, and other representations of your professional skills and experience.
Think about topics you are interested in exploring in your writing. Examples include personal and professional projects, issues relating to your career, and topics of interest in your field.

e-Portfolio Workshop During Winterfest

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:08:01 -0500

I am happy to announce that we will have an e-portfolio workshop during the week of Winterfest, January 4-8, 2010. Workshop objectives include helping attendees to:

Practice publishing to the Web
Create your portfolio space
Write a reflective blog post
Search and comment on the blogs of others
Add additional material to your portfolio, including tabs and media
Use tags and categories to organize content
Discover ways to keep a vibrant portfolio

Additional details (date, time, registration) will be posted as they become available.

Using the Reflective Blog Element of Your e-Portfolio

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:39:24 -0500

This short video is an example of using the reflective blog element to establish yourself as a leading thinker in your field.

Turning a Class Assignment Into An e-Portfolio

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:12:13 -0500

This brief video looks at how a student in engineering turned a class assignment into an e-portfolio.

Why Have an e-Portfolio

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:35:07 -0500

This short video highlights several reasons why having an e-portfolio is a good decision whether you are a student, faculty, or staff.

About the e-Portfolio Workshop

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:36:34 -0500

Electronic Portfolios (e-Portfolios) are dynamic, developmental spaces representing your professional "self" on the Web. They are becoming standard practice for academics, students, and professionals and typically include examples of skills and achievements, as well as a reflective blog element. Here at Penn State we use the Blogs @ Penn State platform to create e-Portfolios because it is easy to use and allows you to update and contribute to your e-Portfolio wherever you have an internet connection.

Workshops are offered periodically during the fall and spring semesters as well as during Winterfest and Summerfest. To find and register for upcoming workshops go to the ITS Training Services page and select the "Look for Training" option. Type "e-portfolio" in the search field to pull up a list of upcoming events.

== Workshop Objectives ==

During the workshop we will explore why e-portfolios are becoming the norm in both the academic and corporate setting. We will look at examples of portfolios and discuss the elements that go into making an e-portfolio. Additionally we will:

* Create your portfolio space
* Write a reflective blog post
* Practice publishing to the Web
* Search and comment on the blogs of others
* Add additional material to your portfolio, including tabs and media
* Use tags and categories to organize content
* Discover ways to keep a vibrant portfolio

== Workshop Preparation ==

Prior to attending this workshop, please complete the following:

* If you have not done so, activate your personal web space by going to portfolio.psu.edu, selecting the Log In option and completing the activation quiz.
* Think of a name for your portfolio space.
* Think about samples you want to include, such as photos, multimedia files, articles, and other representations of your professional skills and experience. If possible, bring some along.
* Think about topics you are interested in exploring in your writing. Examples include personal and professional projects, issues relating to your career, and topics of interest in your field.

To get started on your e-Portfolio go to the e-Portfolios @ Penn State site and Log in with your PSU UserID and password.

Get Started Building Your e-Portfolio

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:35:10 -0500

Starting your e-Portfolio is fast and easy using the Movable Type platform, the same platform we use for blogging. Just follow these steps:

Go to The Blogs at Penn State site to log in with your PSU UserID and Password. Note: If this is your first time logging into the blog site you will be asked to complete the activation process. Once done, you space will be available in 1-3 days.
Once your space is active sign back in and create your e-Portfolio space. To do this select "Blog" from the Create pull-down option on your dashboard and complete the necessary fields. Note: Be sure to choose the "Professional Website" option from the Template Set pull-down menu to create your e-portfolio space.
Select the "Publish" option from the toolbar for the changes to take effect.
Start creating!

The Professional Website template combines web pages and a blog together enabling you to create a dynamic, interactive e-portfolio you can use to develop and share multiple parts of your academic and professional life. The following pages are created by default: Home, Blog, About, Contact. You also have the ability to add and remove pages from your space by changing the settings from your Dashboard.

Click here for further instructions on creating your e-Portfolio space.

Andrea Schwander - Geography - Class of 2010

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:59:39 -0500

"My e-Portfolio has allowed me to put a more detailed description of my resume in a single place that looks both intriguing and professional. I plan on using it for the next step either further education or a career in order to show my capabilities. Interestingly, creating this website also gave me the confidence to apply for an internship that I will begin in Fall 2008 updating the Digital chart of the World that is used all over the globe as a geographic resource."

Check out the evidence Andrea (Geography, 2010) links to in her e-Portfolio!

Snapshots taken: 8/8/2008

Andrea adapted a layout from FreeLayouts.com with web editor software to incorporate information about what she is involved in at Penn State. Her home page is brief, inviting and professional! The quick links from the layout give you a quick sense of what she is involved in.

Besides talking about academics Andrea also shares information about what she she has been involved in. Besides allowing the reader to follow-up the highlighted links are quick clues to her message on this page!

Her brief introduction to the Geography courses she has taken gives you a sense of what these courses mean to her and why they are important. Below, off-screen Andrea also list other important courses.

Professional experience is important and Andrea already has two items to reflect upon: her work at White Clay Creek State Park and her experiences traveling to and studying in Peru! Both include links to project reports.

Always involved, Andrea is reaping the beneftis of co-curricular opportunties at Penn State. Not just a participant, Andrea has taken on leadership roles in these groups.

Andrew Vincent - Energy, Business and Finance - Class of 2009

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:56:40 -0500

"My alumni mentor was very impressed and offered me two different internships for next summer. One of the internships is spending a month overseas in Georgia working for a company called Frontera Resources. I am very excited to apply for it next year."

Check out the evidence Andrew (Energy, Business and Finance, 2009) links to in his e-Portfolio!

Snapshots taken: 7/29/2008

Andrew's e-portfolio does not take the formal, structured route. Instead he takes an honest, personal approach and shares more about "what is on his mind" in terms of what is most important about who he is. He used a Weebly.com template to build this e-portfolio.

Where other e-portfolios take the time to tellyou about the past - Andrew's focus is clearly on the future!!

Evidence says everything. Having links to sample project work is important in any field.

Can you gain insight about a person from a book they feel has an important message to share? Read Andrew's review and I think you will see what I mean!

Dan Shaffer - Marketing, Psychology, & Sociology - 2009

Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:35:49 -0500

"With the intention of creating my own unique 'brand image' for future job opportunities and graduate school, my web portfolio has offered me the chance to not only differentiate myself from other business students, but more importantly, has given me the opportunity to develop my technological skills as an online marketer."

Dan (Marketing, Psychology, & Sociology, 2009) skillfully uses his reflective comments to present himself as a 'well-rounded', thoughtful and goal-oriented individual in his e-Portfolio. First year students, don't be intimidated by the amount of evidence - instead learn from his style! Has he differentiated himself from others? You bet!

Snapshots taken: 9/17/2007

Dan's home page is clean, straight forward and professional. It is immediately clear where different types of information can be found.

In his introduction Dan provides a preview of what you will find in his e-portfolio. His style of writing is easy to read and he includes lots of visuals to engage and entice the reader. What he writes is not something that he came up with overnight. It is clear that he has thought through what he wants to say and why!

Dan uses a distinctive business-like pattern for stating his goals! The font color helps the goal statements to stand out and then he follows up with a 'Target' and 'Action Plan' including updates whenever possible. Impressive!

Not just a link to a project - Dan characterizes these selected work assignments such that he highlights personal and professional attributes that are important in the business world! Furthermore, his comments not only describe the project but also include reflective value statements that identify what he personally found to be important.

Amy Martin - Music Education - 2005

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 14:29:41 -0500

"It has allowed me to clearly and impressively market myself to employers, while helping me gather my qualifications all in one location. It gave me an extra edge over other applicants. It has also helped me become much more knowledgeable and comfortable with webpage design and creation."

The range of evidence in Amy's (Music Education, 2005) e-Portfolio focusing on her abilities when it comes to teaching, conducting or performance is impressive to say the least! Amy highlights her achievements by including links to video of herself involved in these contexts.

Snapshots taken: 9/27/2005

Right from this opening page it is clear that Amy is involved in the teaching of music! Her purpose is clear and her presentation of links is straightforward.

Here is an example lesson included in Amy's site. Not only do you see that she can develop organized lessons the inclusion of photos reinforces that she is out there doing this - and is having fun working with kids!

If you have any questions about whether Amy can get a room full of elementary students to play together in a purposeful, professional manner just click on the link and watch the video. Now that's evidence!

Beyond teaching, Amy demonstrates that she is also an exceptional performer. Her e-portfolio provides information about the music and ensembles she is involved in, as well as a sample of video links to a couple of recent performances.