Dr Sadiah Baharom

Fakulti Sains dan Technologi

Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris

Portfolios

• Is a goal-driven, organized collection of materials that demonstrates a person’s expansion of knowledge and skills over time
• Contents, organization, and presentation of materials vary, depending on intended audience and purpose
• Is evident of individual’s growth and development

​

Professional Portfolios

• Working portfolios
• Presentation/showcase Portfolios
• Teaching Portfolios

Working Portfolios

• Large compilations of materials that demonstrate a person’s effort
• Eg. Teacher’s working portfolio: lesson plans, units, photographs, software programs and multimedia presentations
• Portfolio contents display a broad range of materials of varying level of quality
• Serves as a storage container for a wide variety of artifacts that demonstrate an individual’s professional strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures
• ​

Presentation Portfolios

• Items represents a subset of materials in a working portfolio
• Items selected after personal reflection
• Criteria of selection correspond to the purpose and focus of the portfolio
• Eg. Growth of a teacher’s career – knowledge and skills demonstrated at various career stages

Teaching portfolio

• A special type of presentation portfolio that demonstrates the professional competence of anyone who engages in the act of teaching
• Includes materials associated with teaching: curricular units, syllabi, communication with student (eg. e-mail, notes etc), writing samples, photographs, videos, letters of recommendation, record of academic achievement and teaching evaluation

The Teaching Portfolio

• allows teaching and learning to be considered in their appropriate context--a context that changes by field and discipline and/or class size and level
• no two individuals teaching alike, no two portfolios will look alike
• each one mirrors the unique attributes and styles of the person who created it. Just as teaching approaches vary, student learning styles vary as well
• highlight and explain specific strategies and approaches to prioritizing, enhancing, and assessing the student learning that results from teaching.

​

• The term "portfolio" is not used loosely. An effective teaching portfolio is neither a "file cabinet" nor a "highlights film," but rather a thematic collection of materials selected to publicly define your teaching and to demonstrate the effectiveness of your approaches and the quality of your outcomes.
• his or her "book": as a collection of your best work presented systematically and thoughtfully for your own self-improvement and for others to learn about your solutions to the problem of effective teaching

What should be included in a teaching portfolio? -

• "best practice.”
• the portfolio must demonstrate a set of specific competencies which reflect those professional values
• "core competencies,"

"core competencies,"

• a statement of philosophy of teaching and learning
• description of methods used to assess student learning
• statement of teaching competency
• course syllabi
• analysis of samples of student work related to course objectives
• analysis of student evaluations
• statement of teaching goals

professional values vital to effective teaching

• having an understanding of how students learn
• having a concern for students' intellectual development
• using research on teaching in one's discipline
• wanting to work with and learn from colleagues
• reflecting continually on one's own professional practice
• being aware of the importance of "student culture" in the classroom

teaching portfolio - a dual opportunity

• allows you to articulate the beliefs and values you hold about teaching, and
• to demonstrate your mastery of the competencies that make up your "best practice."

Electronic Portfolios

• Electronic Portfolios are a creative means of organizing, summarizing, and sharing artifacts, information, and ideas about teaching and/or learning, along with personal and professional growth.

Several Definitions

• An electronic portfolio uses digital technologies, allowing the portfolio developer to collect and organize portfolio artifacts in many media types (audio, video, graphics, text)
• An electronic portfolio is a reflective tool that demonstrates growth over time.” (Helen Barrett , 2004; 2005).

• An e-portfolio “is a repository of information about a particular learner provided by the learner and by other people and organisations, including products in a range of media that the learner has created or helped to create alongside formal documents from authoritative sources, such as transcripts of assessed achievement, which the learner has chosen to retain.” (Wilson, 2005)

Cambridge (2003) defines an e-portfolio as:

• “what is produced when persons collect, select, reflectively interpret, and/or present their own evidence to support their assertions about what they have learned, know and can or should do;
• a selection of ‘products’ of learning, reflections or interpretations on those products, and
• representations of relationships between and among the products and interpretations.

• A standards-based portfolio uses a database or hypertext links to clearly show the relationship between standards or goals, artifacts, and reflections.
• The learner’s reflections are the rationale that specific artifacts are evidence of achieving the stated standards or goals.

Underlying pedagogy of e-portfolio

• Most significantly linked with e-learning
• Designed using the constructivist educational principles:
• Emphasis placed on learner not teacher
• Learner interacts with content and events and thereby gains understanding of ideas or events
• Learner constructs his/her own conceptualisation and solutions to problems
• Learner autonomy not only accepted but actively encouraged

​

Underlying pedagogy of e-portfolio

• Process of discussion, reading other learners’ messages and receiving feedback on one’s own messages, provides the environment and scaffolding necessary for higher order thinking

Traditional vs e-portfolio

• E-portfolio – easy to rearrange, edit & combine materials
• Students can determine order of storage
• Search on and access materials in a non-linear fashion
• Make modifications on regular basis
• E-portfolio is a connected document
• Hyperlinking to connect documents together
• Link portfolio elements to external sources or reference
• Associate between different subject areas, learning experience or observations, contents and other
• ​

Traditional vs e-portfolio

• E-portfolio is portable
• Digital files that can be transported and transferred with ease
• Can be accessed and used in a variety of locations
• Can be replicated and shared with others
• ​
• ​

Items for e-portfolio: Artifacts & Supporting documents

• Artifacts
• Artifacts – resources that demonstrate a teacher’s professional knowledge and competence in relation to the theme, set of standards, or question that serves the framework of the portfolio.
• Eg. Lesson plans demonstrating a teacher’s knowledge of content or student work answering a teacher’s portfolio question
• ​

Items for e-portfolio: Artifacts & Supporting documents

• Supporting Documents
• Materials critical to understanding the teacher
• Personal information such as hobbies and interests – provides information of teacher’s personality and character
• Permission forms signed by parents – demonstrates a teacher’s attention to legal matters and students’ right
• ​

Possible Artifacts in a Teaching Portfolio

Category

Types of Artifacts

Educational Philosophy statement

Instructional Materials

Lesson Plans

Curriculum units

Assessments

Tests

Worksheets

Manipulatives

Activity centre materials

Rubrics

Web sites

Power point presentations

Students work

Essays

Creative writing

Maps

Journals

Artworks

Book reports

Exams

portfolios

Classroom management plans

Discipline policy

Class rules

Job charts

Classroom floor plan

Seating chart

Reflections

Supporting Documentation

Category

Types of supporting documents

Professional information

Resumes

Certificates

transcripts

​

Letters of reference

Teaching evaluations

Writing such as magazine publications, editorials, papers, scholarly articles

Personal Information

Creative writing

Family photograph

Travel photos

A list of books read in the last year

Information about hobbies quotations to live by

Teaching/Educational Philosophy Statement

What is a statement of teaching philosophy?

• it is a short (1-2 pages), concise and cogent expression of your beliefs, attitudes, and values regarding teaching and learning.
• should include commentary on your goals for your students and how you see yourself helping advance those goals.
• keep in mind that what you say here must be supported by materials you choose for inclusion later on.

What is a philosophy of teaching statement?

• A philosophy of teaching statement is a narrative that includes your conception of teaching and learning
• a description of how you teach
• justification for why you teach that way

What is a philosophy of teaching statement?

• The statement can
• demonstrate that you have been reflective and purposeful about your teaching
• communicate your goals as an instructor and your corresponding actions in the classroom
• provide an opportunity to point to and tie together the other sections of your portfolio

Writing an educational Philosophy statement – some questions.

• Why do you teach the way you teach?
• What is your teaching style
• What strategies do you use when teaching?
• How do you use instructional tools in the learning process?
• How do you view students as learners?
• What part do parents and community play in the learning process?
• What kind of environment do you hope to create in your classroom? How does this relate to your basic beliefs about students and learning?

​

Writing an educational Philosophy statement – some tips.

• Consider your audience and what manner of presentation will make your ideas easier for them to read.
• Use bold, italics, or underlining to draw attention on critical issues
• Consider using a theme or another organizational structure (visual diagram, photograph etc) to organize ideas.
• Use short, vivid, concrete examples
• Practice the principle of parsimony
• Always have someone else read through your educational philosophy statement to check for clarity of expression and correct spelling and grammar before sharing with others.

​

Statement of teaching competency

• serves as a bridge between your teaching philosophy statement and the syllabi and other course-related teaching materials you provide in the appendices
• solidify your argument that you have attained each of the seven "core competencies," making direct reference to the items in the appendices which illustrate that attainment
• provide a context for anyone examining the materials you are using as evidence

Statement of teaching competency -Reflections

• One of the hallmarks of an effective teacher is the ability to reflect upon his/her classroom experiences--both positive and negative-- and to grow from those experiences.
• you can be open about approaches you have tried without complete success; you can admit that you, like all teachers, have run up against problems you couldn't solve the first time around.

Teaching goals

• Here you can discuss the specific areas and ways in which you would like to improve your teaching.
• Keep your "goals" statement limited to two or three goals, each of which you can address in a single paragraph.
• Each goal should be accompanied by a plan, i.e., specific ways of achieving the particular goal.

WRITING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (PDP) STATEMENT

LIST GOALS:

• In the coming year (or five years), as a professional science educator, I plan to....
• In my experience teaching science, I have found that .....are some challenges that I face.

WRITING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (PDP) STATEMENT

DESCRIBE TEACHING COMMITMENTS:

I am dedicated to improving …..

I am dedicated to learning more about…….

​

DESCRIBE TEACHING PHILOSOPHY:

My beliefs about teaching science are……

WRITING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (PDP) STATEMENT

DESCRIBE TEACHING GOALS:

Goal 1: In the classroom, I will work to enhance or improve student learning in….

Goal 2: In the classroom, I will work to enhance or improve my skills in assessment…

Goal 3: In the classroom, I will integrate…

WRITING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (PDP) STATEMENT

DESCRIBE OBJECTIVES FOR MEETING GOALS:

I plan to continue my formal studies in …… education in relation to.......

I plan to attend science education conferences to……….

I plan to attend workshops in ………..

Reflections

• Integral to your production of an e-portfolio is the process of reflection.
• Reflection is not an 'add-on' piece to your learning process, portfolio, or teaching practice.
• It is integral to the complex process of becoming a science teacher.
• Successful reflection enables self-awareness, personal and professional growth and improved teaching practices.

Reflections

• Ultimately, self-reflection and dialogue with others will result in insights as to:
• how and why you think the way you do about science teaching, learning and assessment
• what actions you took,
• what choices you made
• the meaning of your actions and choices
• what learning and growth has occurred
• how you can change your practices in the future
• what you believe is the social value of science education
• what you believe is your role as a professional in the field of science education

Development stages

• Collection of materials
• Selection of materials
• Reflections
• Projection/direction
• presentation

Technology and e-Portfolios

• Electronic portfolios as an effective way to more clearly present information not only through text, but also through visuals, audio, and video formats.
• Documents can be stored on hard drives, Zip disks, or CD-ROM in many digital formats such as text documents, picture files, web pages, digital video, and presentation files.
• They can be stored on hard drives, Zip disks, websites, or CD-ROM.

• The process of developing electronic teaching portfolios can document evidence of teacher competencies and guide long-term professional development.
• The competencies may be locally defined, or linked to national teaching standards.

Conclusion: The Electronic Teaching Portfolio

• Two primary assumptions in this process are:
• a portfolio is not a haphazard collection of artifacts (i.e., a scrapbook) but rather a reflective tool which demonstrates growth over time; and
• we need new tools to record and organize evidence of successful teaching, for both practicing professionals and student teachers.

​

TSP 6033: ePortfolio Assignment

• Educational Philosophy
• National Education Philosphy
• Science Education Philosophy
• My Teaching Philosophy
• Teaching Goals
• Teaching statements
• Resumes
• Certificates/deans list/letters of appreciations
• Physics Lesson plans
• Physics projects: videos/power point presentations/
• Creative writing
• Reflections

​