In starting your own ePortfolio Dr. Harapnuik argues that, “If you recall the minimalist fundamentals of eportfolios the ePortfolio can and should be simple to understand and, more importantly, simple to create and maintain. There are really only 3 steps to creating and maintaining an eportfolio/blog:
Selecting what tools to use
Deciding what to include
Committing to scheduled contributions” (Harapnuik, 2023)
I like Dr. Harapnuik’s suggestions, but I believe you first need to decide what your ePortfolio is for and what you need your website to have (e.g., a web store, a blog, a login for members, etc.). Then, you can determine which website creation tool to use and continue with the suggested list above.
This is not necessary, but having at least an idea of how users will navigate your website or ePortfolio will save you some headaches in the future. Sketching out a simple navigation tree will suffice. I recommend using Wix to host your website / ePortfolio. It is free, but you have to put up with a Wix-generated URL, a banner ad at the bottom of each page, and some decreased functionality. You can always pay to use your own URL, with no wix ads, and full functionality. I might be wrong but Wix is the only free site with the most functionality that I have run across. This is why I am having the upper level (juniors and seniors) create their own portfolio in Wix. Another reason I recommend using Wix is that it has a very robust help section with articles, how-to videos, and even support communities.
My Own Journey
Since the days of painstakingly collecting all of the physical examples of your work, finding a place to store them, and dealing with damage over the years, I have always realized that a digital portfolio was a great improvement on the portfolio concept. I have to credit my college (ACU) graphic design teacher, Nil Santana, for having the foresight to having his students create their own digital portfolio (which we now refer to as an ePortfolio) back in 2001. Now the digital portfolio I created back then was nothing like my ePortfolio is now but it at least planted the seed to one day create the ePortfolio that I have now. If think your options are limited now, at that time, your only option was to use Adobe Dreamweaver and learn HTML. The digital portfolio I started in that class would be the basic idea of the ePortfolio that I have now. After starting a portfolio in that class (which I actually dropped), I have since created and recreated my portfolio on 4 different web hosting platforms. I won’t bore you with all the frustrations and problems I had, but I will just say that using Wix (my current web hosting site) is like driving a car compared to a horse and buggy. The evolution of digital portfolios is fascinating, and I encourage you to start your own and be part of this journey. I have extensively looked at all the website creation tools of 2024 and I recommend using Wix. In doing a search, you will find it is highly ranked in usability and one of the few website creation tools that allows you to have a free website.
In starting out in the 24'-25' school year armed with the innovation proposal I created in 5305 I had high hopes for implementing "A Portfolio Revolution" in my class. Since I have an e-portfolio of my own and know the benefits of having one, I have used the basic Google Site eportfolio in my classes before. But now I want to utilize the eportfolios that my students create in a more holistic approach instead of a one-time assignment. I had optimistic plans of meeting with my principal to review my innovation proposal and my plans in my classroom. However, finding time to meet with my principal became a chore in and of itself. I briefly mentioned wanting to meet with him, and his reply was, “That sounds great, but you have to set up a meeting with my secretary.” That sounded like he was just trying not to be dismissive, but I could sense a hint being dismissed. That was the first time I had to realize that this innovation plan was essential to me, but I had a hard road to make people realize the impact it could have.
Unfortunately, setting up a meeting with my principal became a task in and of itself. I first had to email his secretary, who didn’t get back to me for a few days, and then the meeting she set up had to be canceled due to the principal double booking a meeting with all the department chair teachers at my school. At that point, I realized that he, in his first full year at my school, had his own agenda, and my plan was probably the last thing on his plate. So I emailed his secretary five more times trying to set up another time with either no response or a repeating reply of “still trying to find a time he can meet, but I did email him your proposal.” Which still gave me the feeling of being blown off for more important things.
After trying to convey that going over my plan would only take five minutes, that still didn’t change the outcome of the email request. Now that it was the fourth week of school, I was in the administration office for an unrelated errand. Fortunately, it dawned on me that I should just knock on his door and see if he had two minutes to spare. Timidly, I knocked on his door and asked… to my surprise, he actually did, and he allowed me to present him with the TEKS for my three classes that all listed having and maintaining a portfolio as an essential aspect of my class. As I expected, the encounter only lasted three minutes, and he was supportive in allowing me to implement creating and maintaining an e-portfolio in my class.
In hindsight, I would recommend that anyone attempting to discuss a potential plan for change or improvement be realistic about this being your plan and that others will not initially be receptive because they have their own plans and agendas. Overall, I am encouraged by how supportive my principal ended up being. I just had to catch him at the right time.
References
Harapnuik, D. (2023, September). How to Create Your ePortfolio Its About Learning
https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6065
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