Research at Stanford University has determined that a portfolio can be defined as a "purposeful collections of artifacts that characterize the learning experiences of the portfolio owner." EduCause Quartely defines a Web-Based electronic portfolio as "…a compendium of materials that document and demonstrate a person's accomplishments and career readiness." At the University of British Columbia, "E-portfolios are personalized, web-based collections of work, responses to work and reflections that are used to demonstrate key skills and accomplishments ..."
Here, a minimum class portfolio consists of 6 web-pages. Each portfolio has a home page that serves as an introduction to the site. Through a consistent hyperlinked navigation system, the home page invites the audience to visit the remaining portfolio pages. Other portfolio pages include a goals page, a skills page, a FAQ, a resume page, and an Internet Technologies page.
Goals
During the semester you will complete an assignment that locates a suitable after graduation job. For most students, obtaining this job would represents a goal. For some students, acceptance to a quality graduate program may represent a goal. The goals page articulates these and related goals. Many students will further categorize the goals as short or long term. Anyone interested in IT as a career, should list lifelong education as a goal.
Evaluation
Assignments are graded on a scale similar to the following: 100% (outstanding); 90% (fulfills assignment requirements); 75% (insufficient engagement with the course or other major problem); 25% (wrote something, relationship to the course is unclear).
Audience
The portfolio audience is defined as potential employers. (For assignment purposes, graduate school should be considered analogous to a potential employer.) The portfolio's media design should be appropriate for the particular audience.
Skills
The skills page reflects a student's preparation for the job, or job category, listed on the goals page. Skills developed either at school, at work, or in other environments should be listed here. Major skill categories could include problem solving, technologies, analysis, communication, and business skills. Please note, a software program is not a skill, applying a software program within a specific environment to solve a particular problem is a skill. (Cliff Notes: Skills are verbs not nouns.)
FAQ and Resume
The Frequently Asked Questions page answers, or expounds upon, questions typically asked in an interview. The electronic resume page presents a student's qualifications for their goal (work or graduate school). Better students will use hyperlinks to reinforce important resume concepts.
IT
The Internet Technologies page may be a link from the home page or it may be a link from the skills page. Here you will place work done for this (OCTE3368) class. This work includes the Online Journals, the Learning by Example, and textbook assignments.