What Do We Want? ePortfolios! When Do We Want Them? Now!

When should you start your ePortfolio? TODAY! I was skeptical about ePortfolios before diving in and using it for my master’s degree. In my mind, it seemed tedious, time consuming, sketchy, and a whole lot of work. However, I was dead wrong. 

What have I realized about ePortfolios that you can do:

• It is an ideal way to keep track of your professional growth. Ditch the binders, folders, and outdated books; store your ideas on one digital site. If you are like me, you lose your papers, sticky notes, and journals all the time. Using an ePortfolio you can store your ideas and reflect on them.

• Speaking of reflection, wouldn’t it be amazing to document modifications made to your work. A constant adaptation process documented with easy access to. An ePortfolio can remind you of misconceptions or struggles you had to then improve on those obstacles before implementation. Better yet, it can highlight all the things that went right! A one-stop place for you to share your thoughts about a particular topic, assignment, lesson, and more!

• Not only do you benefit from your reflections, so do others. An ePortfolio helps others learn and connect with you. People can incorporate your ideas in a broader way than we can. “It takes a village” is a known phrase used in the United States; with ePortfolios we will have several villages to help us grow and to encourage others. There are many ideas out there that are stuck in classrooms, offices, and homes that can be shared via ePortfolios. (Personally: I have been inclined to leave the classroom, because I want to help other teachers help their students. Until that day arrives, I can still help others through ePortfolios.)

An ePortfolio is your resume made your way. You choose what to present and how to present it. They are your ideas being used outside of your world. It is a safe digital place for you to express your contributions in your field. As a teacher, we rely on others. I learn from my peers, texts, influencers, and my own students; few of us take the leap to share our thoughts forward. I was apprehensive about an ePortfolio; now that I understand its purpose of collaboration and how to use it, I am loving every moment with it. In fact, I am planning to start another site just for my RLA teacher journey. 

Give it ago, today!

Sincerely,

Coralis Mollitor

P.S. If you would like more information about getting your implementations hear or one of my projects, check my proposal.