Saturday, November 10, 2012

Chapter 11: Engaging Teachers and Students in Learning and Self-Reflection


Focus Question 2: How can teachers and students use digital portfolios as tools for learning?

A digital portfolio indicates who a teacher is and what that teacher knows.  It is used to display academic achievements and classroom lesson plans.  A teacher should display their teaching philosophy and other experiences on their portfolio.

It is important for a digital portfolio to be continuously updated, and past work be worked on again to show reflection and growth.  It is not simply a scrapbook of the past; it is a growing and evolving work.

A digital portfolio offers ease of access and portability, but it also becomes a disadvantage when introducing it to someone who has little digital skills (this number is becoming fewer though).


Tech Tool 11.1 TaskStream

Task Stream is a very clean and inviting website.  I think they do a poor job at introducing their purpose.  I would have no idea that they were a portfolio-building website until I got to Pricing-benefits to students.  I do not like that it costs $42 a year so I will be avoiding this tool. However, the screenshot in the book looks very clean and much like I would organize my own folders on my computer.


Reflection:
Digital portfolios I think are extremely important for teachers today.  I do not find the idea of creating a heavy 3-ring-binder portfolio very inviting.  It is also very easy to forget where you have things filed, and with the use of an e-portfolio could be easily searched.

Technology tools in democratic classrooms I believe that it is important to have the children feel like they have a say in what they are learning. I believe that they get more excited the more you involve them.  Doing activities like peer editing and self-evaluation allows students to become the teacher and self-reflect.

Student participation systems and clickers are wonderful tools that don’t put the student on the spot.  This tool could help an introverted student who is struggling while engaging kids that are hyper by giving them something hands on to do.  No one loses with this tool because the teacher can address all the questions that weren’t answered right in the moment and not put pressure or embracement on any of the students. 

1 comment:

M Coleman said...

Portfolios are a natural way to record/archive and reflect on accomplishments for both teachers and students...agree that the digital nature really lends itself to portfolios.