Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
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Cristina Leo
Running Head: DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: SELF-REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE
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Introduction
design for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12. These changes which would be
mandated into practice in 2016 changed the way curriculum delivery would be
approached, including the ways in which student learning would be assessed and
reported. These curriculum changes also coincided with advances in web 2.0
Education, 2017) Therefore, Digital portfolios as a classroom support tool, allow student
thinking, knowing, and doing to be visible, transcending the typical four walls of the
students are able to receive immediate and timely feedback that can be revised and
reworked enhancing the final product. Digital portfolios provide an access point for
parents to not only observe but comment on student progress, enhancing and extending
the conversation outside of the classroom. This paper outlines how digital portfolios aid
in the alignment of new curriculum standards, core competencies, and tenets of 21st
century learning when implemented effectively in a K-5 school. As well how digital
parents.
Gone are the days when the teacher stands at the front of the classroom instructing
regurgitated through a test. Today, students are able to access mass amounts of
Running Head: DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: SELF-REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE
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information online through the click of a button. Rather than focusing on the content of
information required to be known through assessment, curriculum reform has shifted the
focus to skill development. In 2015, BC’s Education Minister Mike Bernier stated that,
“personalized learning is the heart of the changes-and teachers will have the time and
ability to help kids dig into what interests them. We all know how passionate kids can be
when they get into something like music, soccer, or dinosaurs. The new curriculum will
give teachers the ability to tap into these passions.” (Vancouver Sun, 2015)
These changes to the design of the curriculum introduce a new model of learning where
design cycle, this learning model involves iteration, the ability to move forwards,
competency-driven approach to learning explores the topics or content that the student
will know. Through this phase of learning students are able to choose what area they
will explore based on interest and depth of understanding. This concept-based model
also explores the big ideas and what students will understand. Finally, students will do,
meaning rather than being consumers of knowledge, students will demonstrate the
the creation of a new product. These changes to the new curriculum put students in the
driver’s seat, with a focus on conceptual learning rather than content driven, students
can dive deeper into their inquiry. This new curriculum is more flexible, broader, and
transdisciplinary allowing for a blend of subjects rather than learning in isolation. The
Running Head: DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: SELF-REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE
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framework for student learning opens up the possibility of using digital portfolios in the
Digital Portfolios
Digital portfolios have long been a tool used by artists and professionals as a means of
documenting artifacts and best work. Educational portfolios however, are not limited to
final products and showpieces, but rather a reflection of student learning that is chosen
by the student. Most often these pieces are “collected, reflected upon, selected, and
presented to show growth and change over time, work that represents an individual’s or
an organization’s human capital.” (Barrett, 2007) Vital to the efficacy of digital portfolios
is the role self-reflection plays when considering each piece included. Student reflection
validates the process of learning that has occured. “Stiggins (2004) defined a portfolio
(Barrett, 2007) Digital portfolios begin where portfolios left off, as Barrett stated, “an
collect and organize portfolio artifacts in many media types (audio, video, graphics,
The purpose of a digital portfolio in the 21st century provides students with the agency
to showcase their learning through the selection and reflection of artifacts and evidence
Running Head: DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: SELF-REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE
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that represents their personalized journey. The way in which teachers choose to use
digital portfolios in their classrooms however can be done through one of three different
ways. “Literacy professors Richard Allington and Patricia Cunningham (2006) offer clear
● Performance portfolios are collections of a student's best work, with the student
taking the lead in the selection of the work and providing an explanation as to
might hold early drafts of a paper or poem to show how the piece developed over
time.
● Progress portfolios are often managed by teachers. They hold collections of work
Today, new digital portfolio apps such as Freshgrade and Seesaw, make it possible for
seamless integration and delivery of lessons for students, teachers, and parents to see.
Freshgrade for example, allows teachers the ability to streamline the paper used in
class and document student learning by providing a place for students to showcase
their learning, changing the way their content is used. Freshgrade CEO, Lane Marrifiedl
said, “we understand that teachers are already using a variety of methods to track and
report on students’ progress and communicate with parents. Freshgrade simplifies and
enhances this process, and offers a more efficient and impactful way to approach these
tasks. We’re excited that through our new mobile app, we’ll be able to alleviate even
more of the workload that teachers endure on a daily basis.” (Newswire, 2015).
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Digital portfolios not only open the door for students to share what they have been
learning about, creating, and making in class with their parents, but ultimately continue
the conversation of and about learning, stretching beyond the four walls of the
the 21st century. Advances in web capabilities through app design allow for students to
easily upload multimedia that serve as evidence of student learning. Images, pictures,
video and audio recordings of student’s thinking, doing, and reflecting are now possible
Another benefit to digital portfolios is that communication between teacher and parents
becomes more accessible. Marrifiedi states, “I usually see parents after school or at
hasn’t been there before. I can share instantly what’s going on in my classroom with
classroom.” (2015) When learning is shared with parents in a timely manner, the
conversation continues to live outside the classroom walls. Rather than waiting until the
and shared through a live format. This live reporting or showcasing of student learning
and thinking allows for students to continue the conversation at home with their parents
in real time. This however, has not always been the case with digital portfolios in the
past. This is where much of the research fails to provide current, up-to date data
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regarding the true benefits of digital portfolios since much of the research predates web
2.0 capabilities.
Kotsopoulous, Lee, Cordy & Bruyns’ case study entitled, “Electronic portfolios in grades
one, two, and three: a cautionary tale” discussed the failure to research the efficacy and
implementation of digital portfolios within primary classrooms. Research around the use
of digital portfolios often speak to the metacognitive skills students develop through
“Other research about portfolios, however, has raised concerns particularly in the
of learning over time are questionable” (2014). While attempting to research the
objectives were set. First, they aimed to “evaluate the user interface issues associated
with EPs by working with teams of teachers and their students to implement EPs in
grades one, two, and three. Second, to examine the extent to which EPs potentially
support teaching and student learning. Third, reflect collectively upon the intersection of
pedagogy and EP use.”(Kotsopoulos, 2014) Honest in their case study they admit that
they failed to prove their first two objectives due to the fact that they had incorrectly
selected a digital portfolio app that was inappropriate for their intended age group. This
is a significant issue when districts and independent schools are choosing to implement
the best fit into their schools. Students should be able to navigate the tool with ease,
limiting their reliance on teachers to do things for them. As Kotsopoulous et al. (2014)
interfaces must leverage this advantage.” Another critical factor to the success of
students educational journey. When students are given the choice and agency to be
active members of their own learning this enhances the use of the tool both within and
outside of the classroom. From their research conclusions, Kotsopoulous et al. (2014)
education, such as user interface limiting the amount of text-based reading expectations
and including more touch-screen features for younger students. Even though the
researchers see their study as a failure, they provide discussion regarding this age
group who are often overlooked in academic literature. Overall, the researchers point to
an important fact that research and understanding of digital portfolios in the primary
years is limited. Much of what is published discusses higher-education, such as the use
of digital portfolios for teacher evaluation. Continued research regarding digital portfolios
for testing, such as standardized assessment in Grade 10 through 12. However, due to
the changes the BC Ministry of Education has made regarding the curriculum, teachers
no longer are teaching to the test so to speak. Students likewise don’t feel pressure to
learn how to be masterful test takers. Rather, this shift in design allows students to
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engage in creative and innovative lessons, relying on skills such as creativity and critical
redesign, focusing on the core competencies which the government calls “sets of
intellectual, personal, and social emotional proficiencies that all students need to
develop in order to engage in deep learning and lifelong learning.” (BC Curriculum,
2015) The core competencies include: communication, thinking, and personal social
emotional.
The purpose of these core competencies is for students to actively model and engage in
the use of these skills through collaborative opportunities amongst peers in the process
equipped with both the soft skills and hard skills to adapt in new environments and
situations. These core competencies become an integral part of the students day to day
life.
taught and modeled for students. One way of doing this is through the use of digital
dialogue between students, teachers and parents. McLeod and Vasinda’s case study,
digital portfolios “capture and enhance the learning of elementary students in a public
Running Head: DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: SELF-REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE
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school setting and as an opportunity to communicate this learning to parents.” (2008)
learning and future success (McLeod, 2008) When students select evidence of learning
McLeod and Vasinda’s research aimed to determine “whether the students perceived
any subjective satisfaction, whether they enjoyed the process and importantly, whether
they learned to reflect constructively on their work.” Additionally they were curious about
the subjective satisfaction parents and teachers had regarding the use of digital
Students described how the most enjoyable part of their learning was the choice they
were given in selecting what pieces were included as artifacts. As well “students found
satisfaction in the digital aspects of the portfolio, including the public nature of their work
posted on the Internet...several students noted the authenticity of this project as well as
the creative and choice aspect.” (2008) Students in the study mentioned that it provided
those with learning differences an avenue to showcase their learning beyond the typical
teaching in positive ways. By listening to the student reflections, teachers were able to
tailor their lessons to better fit the needs and questions of students, determining what
Key takeaways from this case study provided the perspective for teachers about the
capabilities of their students, developing skills such student ownership, and discussions
Finally, parent perspectives on the use of digital portfolios was an important component
of this case study. Parents reported that through the documentation of student learning
through artifacts and self-reflections, parents has a better indication of who their child
was, as a learner. Parents enjoyed “the digital aspect of hearing and/or seeing as part
of their perception of being included in the life of the classroom. An additional dimension
of the digital nature of these portfolios is to actually hear their child’s voice while
Overall, the benefits of implementing digital portfolios into the classroom for this case
study strengthened the claim that there is value from all stakeholders, students,
teachers, and parents. McLeod and Vasinda state that “students began thinking more
deeply about the content and about themselves as a learner while teachers obtained
valuable insights into those thoughts.” (2008) Consistent across much of the research
exploring the benefits of digital portfolios in the elementary context, these findings are
Running Head: DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: SELF-REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE
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“particularly useful because as previously mentioned, empirical findings are limited
What is exciting from this case study is the potential for enhanced student reflection
through better designed apps and feature capabilities of digital portfolio tools being used
today. Making digital portfolios meaningful is now possible with cloud based access and
storage capabilities. With enhanced high-speed internet access, many schools are able
to use these tools to their full capabilities. In 2017, the BC Government proudly reported
they has successfully installed Next Generation Network (NGN) in more than 1, 600
Understanding the ways in which all stakeholders find purpose in digital portfolios
requires continued research into the design and implementation in elementary school
education. Helen Barrett discusses how the REFLECT initiative provides a framework
for schools looking to implement digital portfolios into their classrooms. Barrett noted
that the lack of literature and research into the implementation of digital portfolios in the
K-12 context sparked the need for a two-year action research study. REFLECT, which
through Technology.” The study revealed that the success of implementation depended
on teacher buy-in, where schools that had “a strong teacher leader, or an active
technology coordinator, there was stronger support for the teachers implementing
create opportunities for students to create artifacts that are multidimensional in nature,
such as connecting literature with science. When schools conduct a self-study to find
out what works and why, more teachers will buy into the practice.
Conclusion
prepared for the future. Along with the core competencies of the BC new curriculum,
students are given opportunities to learn, practice, and utilize these skills through
classroom activities. Along with the design of lessons and activities that motivate and
moments to become captured through video and visual images, and most importantly
for self-reflection. Assessment and reporting through digital portfolios becomes a real
way of understanding students knowledge of both content and concepts. Overall, the
benefits of utilizing digital portfolios in the classroom allow for all stakeholders- students,
the learning to stretch beyond the four walls of the classroom. In conclusion, further
classroom but the current research supports that self-reflection continues to be the
everlasting hope educators have to connect the new curriculum with skill development.
Running Head: DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS: SELF-REFLECTION AND DIALOGUE
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References
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doi:10.1598/jaal.50.6.2
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Next Generation Network boosts learning opportunities for students. (2018). Retrieved
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Mcleod, J. K., & Vasinda, S. (2008, 10). Electronic portfolios: Perspectives of students,
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