Helpful Tips: Chapter 3

At Pathbrite, we’re well aware of the challenges teachers face implementing new methods of learning in the classroom.  Getting key stakeholders, most importantly students, invested in the effort can be a little daunting. For successful ePortfolio implementations, your application must be integrated tightly with the curriculum, or students will reject it. The first step in developing a successful deployment begins with defining the student learning outcomes. ePortfolios provide a real space where students can visually document their ability to meet outcomes.

It’s important, however, to be clear and reasonable about expectations and learning outcomes in order to better prepare students for producing and highlighting artifacts that reflect their learning and cognition.

Here are some questions that are useful to ask while preparing an ePortfolio-based course structure:

• What are the learning outcomes or what will students know, understand, or be able to do at the end of this learning experience?
• How will students demonstrate that they have gained competency in the outcomes articulated? For instance, should a student produce a paper, links to research, a video or movie, photos, or PowerPoint document as an artifact?
• Will students work, and provide demonstrable evidence of that work, independently or in a group?
• Is it important that students show that they sought the opinions, advice or guidance of a third-party (for instance, a parent, a tutor, a mentor, an authority or official, a teacher, or a fellow student) in addition to documentary evidence of a gained competency?

Incorporating reflection and learning outcomes in the actions of documenting learning are integral to establishing outcomes that coherently express what your expectations of your students are. Keep in mind the essential learning outcomes created by LEAP as you design your portfolio-supported curriculum to improve your chances of a successful implementation.