Tips and EdTech for Student Portfolios

Eric GuiseGot TechED Podcast

GotTechED the Podcast    

Episode #135: Tips and EdTech for Student Portfolios

Welcome back to GotTechED the podcast this is Episode 135 called “Tips and EdTech for Student Portfolios”.   In this episode, we’ll explain some of the benefits of assessing students using portfolios.  We’ll be sharing why you should do them, the barriers that stop teachers from using them, and some of our favorite tips, tech and activity ideas to implement into your classroom!   This is another episode you don’t want to miss, check it out.

Segment 1: Updates

  1. ISTE Philadelphia

Segment 2: Why or Why not Student Portfolio? 

In this episode, we’ll explain benefits of using #students portfolios, how to alleviate barriers, and some of our favorite tips, #edtech, and activity ideas to implement into your classroom!… Click To Tweet

Why Use Student Portfolios vs Traditional Assessments

  • help your students feel proud of their achievements
  • provide students with an opportunity for self-reflection
  • provide a great starting point for goals setting
  • increase and improve home-school communication
  • provide information for evaluation
  • provide information for parent-teacher conferences
  • make student handover easier
  • showcase the efficacy of your school programmes
  • Decreased stress

Why do they get left behind?

  • Very subjective to grade, Ts feel uncomfortable
  • Ts fear Ss will take advantage of the freedom
  • Ts question the effectiveness of the portfolio as an assessment tool (does it really work?)

Our Top Tips  

  • Set goals/expectations/the focus early.  Is this for one unit of study?  The whole year?  What specific skills will it assess?  What content will it assess?  Is it to show S progress over time or just showcase S work to parents and admin?
  • Decide how you will grade it.  Rubric?  Completion?  Provide this to the Ss from the beginning.
  • Plan for Feedback … mechanism… when and how feedback will take place
  • Consider having a another T to perform standardization checks on your grading 
  • Explain to the Ss from the beginning the purpose of the portfolio.  If they know the benefits they will have more buy-in
  • Provide Ss with enough edtech resources
    • Class website subpage
    • Wakelet
    • Google Sheet List by category
  • Incorporate S reflections as part of the portfolio
  • Require portfolio completion for other benefits in class (retakes)
  • Build in presentations

Portfolio-Based Activities

  • Class Projects
    • AP Review Guide (Class Project)
    • Chapter Review
  • Individual Projects
    • Year Reflection
    • Lab Collection for the year
    • Summative 
      • Mastery Check
    • Formative 
      • Collection
    • Interactive CV for Jobs/College Entrance
      • Showcase
        • AP Art
        • Music Auditions

EdTech

  • See-Saw
  • Google Tools like Docs, Slides and Sites
  • Canva Websites    41:50     pause
  • Artsonia – The digital art museum for kids, Artsonia, is available on the web, iOS, and Android devices. On Artsonia, teachers can create a school page and use it to share what their students have created via galleries. These galleries can include the project description, materials used and addressed national standards. Also, teachers can ask students to complete artist statements, including specific prompts they set up. Students can use the companion app to photograph, edit, upload their work, and add the title and artist statement. Parents can easily upload their kids’ artwork through the app or website. They can crop, adjust, or edit the photo and blur areas of the image as per the requirement. This app also lets students earn awards.
  • Project Foundry – This learning tool allows students to plan and monitor their learning progress and assists teachers in sorting student projects and proposals effectively. The centralized collection of projects will make it easy for students to access and assemble their digital wallets, a necessary tool in the changing technological landscape.
  • Evernote –  This is another practical option for creating digital portfolios. Students record their thoughts using notes then  use things such as photos, audio files, links, and attachments to further enhance these notes. Evernote provides various organizational features that enable users to effectively organize their work so it can be easily searched and accessed across different devices.
  • Blogging Platforms
  • Feedback Tools

Segment 3: Where to Find GotTechED

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Need a Presenter?

As experienced presenters and content creators, you can contact Nick and Guise to speak at your school, event, or conference. They can customize a workshop that meets your organization’s unique time and content needs. While no topic is out of bounds, GotTechED is best known for sessions on:

  • 1:1 Chromebook Integration
  • EdTech Throwdown
  • TargetED Learning
  • Gamification (Badge Systems)
  • Game-Based Learning (Escape Rooms, Amazing Race, and more)
  • Google apps and extensions
  • Personalized learning and Choice Boards
  • Teacher productivity (Lesson Planning, Online Grading. and Feedback)
  • Digital content creation
  • Student Podcasting
  • Screencasting
  • Flipped Classroom
  • Student-Centered Learning