Process of student thought toward the development of an electronic student portfolio.

1. Portfolio Essentials
What is a portfolio?
What might a portfolio look like?
Adapted from Approach to Portfolio Development, Mr. Patrick Dickson, Ph.
Education at MSU

2. Consider This...
Think back over all the work you have done in classes you
have had during the past few years. Think of all the papers
and projects you've done in your classes... Anything... Such
as book reflections, poems, artwork, essays, research
papers, etc. Of all these things, think of one do you consider
to be the one you feel proudest of having created or what
you'd consider an example of your quot;finestquot; work. Please feel
free to select something done at any time in your
education... this year, last year, or whatever.

3. Purpose
Do you still have it?
If your answer is “no”, you are not
alone.
What does this suggest about the
purpose of that piece of work?
What gives the work we do
purpose?

4. Purpose
What is purpose?
What is the difference
between:
• a teacher giving work
purpose and
• a student giving work
purpose?

5. Portfolio
When students assign value and purpose to their
work, it has meaning and is worth displaying.
Such work is a reflection of the individual as it gives
insight to the efforts and personality of the student.
A portfolio is a collection of such valuable works with
a focus on reflection and progress.

6. Portfolio
If you said “yes” I do still have that work, then you,
also, are not alone.
However, there are fewer of you.
What did you do with it?
• Was it displayed somewhere (fridge, wall at school)?
• How many people have seen it since you created it?

7. Portfolio
Shouldn’t everything we do have the same personal
pride attached to it?
How would you feel if your work was always on
display?
Can you think of a person/job whose work is always
on display?

8. Portfolio
If there are countless jobs that demand such
accountability, is it bad that education is so secretive?
Creating a portfolio demands accountability and
student responsibility for their personal academic
achievement.
It also portrays student personality, creativity, and
progress.