Desired Results

My desired results are to have an individual student portfolio that a student can start creating in elementary that will be updated throughout the year and can be used to show student progress, test results (daily and summative), documentation of projects completed, writing samples, pictures of sports teams, action pictures of athletic events, screenshots of digital work, gifs of science projects (of the water cycle)  and overall progress. My wife is a counselor, so I know that students have a physical “cumulative folder,” I propose we just make this digital. This can even be used to document a student's Individual Education Plan (IEP) and report a student's medical ailments and allergies. This portfolio can be a helpful tool for teachers to use when the students transition from year to year. This portfolio can be used after graduation to help students pursue college acceptance or explore career opportunities.

​

In thoroughly thinking through all of the six sources of influence. I had to realistically think through all the different pieces that would have to be addressed and what it would entail for my innovation plan to be incorporated in all educational settings. In my unique job of teaching graphic design to high school students, there are many resources that I have that I realized would be a challenge for all elementary, middle, and high school classes in all disciplines that would have to be overcome.  

I have seen elementary teachers using seesaw.  Having an age-appropriate platform that young students can easily use is a huge step in establishing the idea of an ePortfolio commonplace. The problem started to arise when I thought about transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle to high school.  In middle school, using a Google site as an ePortfolio platform, but I know that a Google site because it is an easy-to-use platform that is very user-friendly.  But Google Sites has a big problem.  Many students create their Google site using the school-provided email address, which ties the ownership to the school, and the students do not own the content added to this Google site.  That is why I recommend using Wix for high school students who need to own their ePortfolio even after graduation.  

The three platforms, Seesaw, Google Sites, and Wix, are good age-appropriate solutions for those three different stages of learning. However, the transition from Seesaw to Google Sites and then Google Sites to Wix requires the rebuilding of their portfolio.  This seems unnecessary if we are trying to create an ePortfolio that will transition with the student from grade to grade, but at the same time, having documentation of your 4th-grade reading seems unnecessary on a high-school-level ePortfolio.

In moving forward, I realize that having to recreate an ePortfolio at three main stages (elementary, middle, and high school) it is not ideal.  However, in consideration of the age-appropriate material that is put in those three main educational stages and the recognition of not having documentation of elementary or middle school work in a professional ePortfolio that is used in college acceptance and a job search, it is not appropriate.  In consideration of that fact, I am proposing that elementary (1st through 5th grade) use Seesaw,   Middle school (6th through 8th grade) use Google Sites, and high school (9th through 12th grade) use Wix.com.