Throughout the course of a typical academic career, hundreds of worthwhile projects are created. After countless hours and massive amounts of energy expended, where does a research paper on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War belong? What about the Rube Goldberg video a group of students collaborated on and shared via YouTube? If returned to the student in physical form, most projects hit the trash or are sent home to become a stack of papers in the basement. For digital items, they are simply lost in the abyss of the Internet.

There is a simple solution, providing respect for work that will change the entire way academic growth is handled. It’s called a digital portfolio.

Sadly, only a handful of my high school and college projects made their way to a box in my garage, with very little, if anything, saved from my elementary years. To be clear, this scenario is no longer a viable option for a 21st-century student. To offer the old-school approach would be a great disservice. Today, students are comfortable using digital tools and should be immediately introduced to the concept of curating their work…and never stop! Hard work should be digitally showcased to the community, not left in a basement box. Students should be curating and managing their digital footprint and empowered to use digital tools appropriately.

On a larger scale, if we are to prepare 21st-century students for their future truly and what awaits them in the workplace, our past transgressions can’t affect what a student needs to succeed in the future. Update: Carl Hooker shared a link from Daniel Pink at a recent conference I attended at Holy Cross College. This tweet is a lot better and more concise.

 

Who’s in charge of the portfolio?

A digital portfolio allows students to create, reflect, and openly discuss themselves as learners with peers and teachers. Writing for an audience outside the classroom is a game-changer. The entire process also helps prepare students to become strong digital citizens capable of providing critique and showing their understanding. Using Google Apps for Education accounts and Blogger (both free), a digital portfolio system is device agnostic and extensively uses existing technology.

Given an opportunity to be in control, students will be inspired to share their best work. The portfolio should be more than just an online folder, hosting random posts and papers. Instead, it should strive to reach a wide audience and receive thoughtful commentary. The idea of reaching a wider audience beyond the classroom with a digital portfolio is exactly what the Common Core State Standards are looking for!

Also, maintaining a digital portfolio allows students to retain their digital footprint, which is a perfect showcase for the school and promotes the fantastic teachers and lessons being taught. Everyone wins here.

What age should a digital portfolio begin?

With thousands of digital opportunities available, kindergartners should be publishing and sharing with an audience outside of their classroom. Of course, younger students need help creating and showcasing their work. However, as students mature through middle school and beyond, teachers should play more of a supportive, facilitator role while the students supply their energy and passions.

Looking back on my younger years, there was nothing better than having an original artwork or unique article hanging outside the classroom. My teacher always showcased work in a display case for people who might catch a glimpse walking by. This method no longer cuts it. The opportunity to showcase work outside school walls is essential for this generation and a great motivator. The article on display was a snapshot in time, and I was never allowed to return to the piece for follow-up or editing. Another amazing by-product of the digital portfolio experience is the process of sharpening writing skills. (Note: I have made edits to this post, which is an excellent way to make the piece more transparent and better for the audience. Imagine students taking this step to sharpen their writing skills?)

Using the example from earlier, what if that Abraham Lincoln paper from above was published to a portfolio and had the ability to accept feedback from peers and staff? What if the following year, the student could reflect and demonstrate additional knowledge? What if the same student was applying for private high school or even college and their digital portfolio was the first result found in a Google search by the admission department? What if a prominent Civil War author posted feedback on the post? This is the next level and we need to support students getting there.

Digital portfolios fit in with the Common Core

As a part of the Massachusetts K-12 Frameworks for English Language Arts, students who are college and career-ready in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language showcase the ability to:

  • Comprehend as well as critique
  • Use technology along with digital media strategically and capably
  • Build strong content knowledge
  • Understand other perspectives and cultures

In addition to being a showcase for student work, the portfolio enhances and supports the mastery of many Massachusetts Frameworks and Common Core standards. Just review the reading and literacy anchor standards. A digital portfolio can capture and provide evidence of their best work. (Might I add, teachers should maintain a digital portfolio, providing evidence of their best work too!)

A digital portfolio is a call to replace bland, dry, boring prompts with genuine questions. Give students the power to put something out there of interest for their audience to become engaged with! It is also a call to give students a great deal of power over their learning and digital footprint.

The first step for technology decision-makers is to offer teachers training on available tools. After that, take baby steps or move along at a faster pace if your staff is more comfortable. For teachers who are slower to adapt, converting existing projects to a portfolio is a worthy start, with an eye on creating new digital projects.

A digital portfolio is simply a blank canvas and a suitable home for a student’s effort. What the final product looks like and how it is presented will significantly vary by district and school, but we need to take the first step. Educators have opportunities to promote the exciting, fantastic work of their students to the greater community and world. This starts with each student having their digital portfolio.

Portfolio Tools