March 2005 — Exclusive

Print this article

Click here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal

Electronic Portfolios and Dimensions of Learning

By Frederick Conway

Internalizing. In order for students to internalize, they must be given opportunities to practice the skill or process they have learned immediately. Set up a schedule that allows students to work in pairs on their portfolios. Group time is critical to the student's needs; however, setting up a schedule will be one of the teachers' biggest challenges. Issues teachers will have to explore include; when would be an appropriate time to work and how long should teams be allowed to practice?

Declarative Knowledge

Declarative knowledge has three phases: constructing meaning, organizing and storing information. However, I will connect the portfolio to the first phase only.

Constructing Meaning. Students will apply what they have already learned about portfolios in prior grades. They will also look for links in requirements and technology. Links in requirements could include: What were the basic slides I used in the past and how d'es it connect to what I need now Are there additional slides to think about based on new knowledge related to this grade? Do I have more independent and creative choices to make? Technology links can include the similarities and differences in the portfolio software used last year compared to what is currently being used. So, how do I link this knowledge of what I already know to help me master the new portfolio software faster?

Extend and Refine Knowledge

Since extending and refining knowledge involves many phases, I will only address inductive and deductive reasoning. Inductive and deductive reasoning relate to the portfolio process in many ways. First, students are constantly looking at all the parts of old and new software, drawing generalized conclusions. Second, they are constantly looking at all software and drawing conclusions to the parts of each. This will become a consistent way of thinking throughout the entire process.

Using Knowledge Meaningfully

Using knowledge meaningfully involves many phases. I will address the process of decision making, investigation\experimentation, and problem solving.

Decision Making. Making decisions is a continual theme throughout the portfolio process. Students are constantly making decisions about: What will be in my portfolio? How do I decide what extra slides to add that reflect who I am? What color scheme do I choose? Where would technology enhancements (e.g., sounds, audio and video clips) be most effective in my presentation?

Investigation and Experimentation. Encourage students to make new discoveries through investigation and experimentation with other parts of the software not formally presented in the classroom. Questions to consider are: Can this new discovery enhance what I already know? Can I apply this discovery to my portfolio? Can this experimental discovery be applied to other subject areas and projects?

Problem Solving. Solving problems individually and cooperatively is a constant struggle for students. They should be encouraged to troubleshoot problems when the technology d'es not work as expected. Questions to think about are: What is the problem? How do I troubleshoot this type of problem? Should I retrace my steps? Should I experiment? Can I solve this alone or should I seek help on this one? Who are the classmates with the most expertise in using this software? Do I need to document how this problem was solved and share with others?