Creating Electronic Portfolios

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Creating Electronic Portfolios
The Writing Center at Rensselaer 4508 Sage
Hall AOL InstantMessenger instantwriter

• http//www.rpi.edu/web/writingcenter

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Why an Electronic Portfolio?

• Easy to change content
• Supports various media and hence various pieces
  of evidence
• Displays material that employers can both
  experience and think about
• Provides evidence and accompanying descriptions
  that aids interpretation
• Easily accessible Web or CD

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Electronic Portfolios

• Creating a Portfolio for Self-Evaluation
  Development
• Creating a Professional Portfolio

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Self-Evaluation Portfolio -1

• The goal is to collect and catalogue all your
  work (artifacts)
• Include everything
• old projects
• papers
• sketches
• videos

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Self Evaluation Portfolio -2

• Reflect on your work
• Figure out what you like about each piece
• Write descriptive introductions what each piece
  does, what you want it to do, what you are proud
  of

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Self Evaluation Portfolio -3

• Examine the work of others
• What do you admire?
• How would you do it better?
• Reconsider the wording of your descriptions
• Set goals what other work do you want to include

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Self-Evaluation Portfolio -4

• Determine an organization
• chronological
• type
• purpose
• Artifacts tell a story to you
• Artifacts tell a story to others

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Self-Evaluation Portfolio -5

• What else is this portfolio good for?
• Staying focused on a learning path
• Professional licensing (in some states)
• Determining your skills and assets
• Documenting learning for credit
• Collecting material for graduate school

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The Professional Portfolio

• Aimed at the Job Market

• Employers need people with varied but specific
  skills
• The market is competitive
• Employers (human resources dept.) dont have a
  lot of time to spend searching for the
  information they need

Manpower (2000). About Manpower - Our Story.
Online. Available http//www.manpower.com/en/s
tory.asp. Retreived 11 September 2000.
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The Professional Portfolio -2

• Employers . . . visit the job seekers personal
  Web site to view examples of the skills listed on
  a resume or portfolio. In the case of a graphic
  artist, a personal Web site might include a video
  clip illustrating an actual ad campaign, pictures
  of current or award-winning work, sounds from ads
  or interviews, and scanned images (such as an
  actual award) (p.152).

Kimeldorf, M Kennedy, J.L. (1997). Portfolio
power The new way to showcase all your job
skills and experiences. Princeton, NJ
Petersons.
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The Professional Portfolio -3

• Identify your audience
• Analyze your audience research
• Determine What knowledge, skills, abilities are
  they looking for?

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The Professional Portfolio -4

• Sources of information
• Interviewing
• employers
• employees
• alumni
• professors
• Trade Publications
• Web Sites
• Job Advertisements

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Sample Job Ad
Equity Technology Group - Junior Web
Developer Junior Web Developer Opportunity
available for Junior level Web Developer. The
candidate will be responsible for creating
content-rich and visually appealing
human-computer interfaces. The Candidate will
define the visual image of the company and our
services. Must be able to create under tight
deadlines. Successful Candidates will have a
minimum of one year experience in HTML and
JavaScript. Experience with development tools
such as Dreamweaver, Photo Shop, and Fireworks
are required. This is a 6-month contract to perm
position. If the candidate becomes permanent the
candidate will lead and be responsible for all
aspects of the creative design process for the
Company and will be part of the core product
development team. The candidate must be a
self-starter, able to work in teams, or
individually. Must be authorized to work
immediately in the United States. This job
requires an individual who is creative,
dedicated, and a self starter. HTML and
JavaScript experience is a MUST.
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The Professional Portfolio -5

• Mine the ad (interview, publication . . .)
• Knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitudes
  required (hallmarks)
• Work that a person graduating in this field would
  know how to do (key performance)
• Basic skills drafting, editing, writing code
• Use this information to collect and organize your
  work

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The Professional Portfolio -6
Equity Technology Group - Junior Web
Developer Junior Web Developer Opportunity
available for Junior level Web Developer. The
candidate will be responsible for creating
content-rich and visually appealing
human-computer interfaces. The Candidate will
define the visual image of the company and our
services. Must be able to create under tight
deadlines. Successful Candidates will have a
minimum of one year experience in HTML and
JavaScript. Experience with development tools
such as Dreamweaver, Photo Shop, and Fireworks
are desired. This is a 6-month contract to perm
position. If the candidate becomes permanent the
candidate will lead and be responsible for all
aspects of the creative design process for the
Company and will be part of the core product
development team. The candidate must be a
self-starter, able to work in teams, or
individually. Must be authorized to work
immediately in the United States. This job
requires an individual who is creative,
dedicated, and a self starter. HTML and
JavaScript experience is a MUST.
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The Professional Portfolio -7

• Rephrase the hallmarks and key performances as
  statements of excellence to describe your work
• Web design work that is informative and easy to
  navigate with respect to the users needs and
  abilities
• Web design work that uses visual and verbal
  material to highlight and emphasize each others
  content
• Visual images that convey information or
  emotional content pertinent to a particular need

• Use these statements to guide the user through
  your portfolio

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The Professional Portfolio -8

• Determine how each hallmark and key performance
  can be demonstrated?

• In your own fields, what are some things
  employers are looking for? What evidence can you
  provide?

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The Professional Portfolio -7
Examples of Artifacts (evidence)

• Musical compositions (demonstrating a sense for
  creative composition)
• Music or Video (demonstrating a particular
  technical competency)
• Creative Writing (demonstrating a particular
  personal value)

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Electronic Portfolio Examples

• Victoria Moore http//www.rpi.edu/moorev/portfol
  io
• Matt Iacovone http//www.mattiacovone.com/portfol
  io
• Other students http//www.llc.rpi.edu/martiv/cep/
  student_epfs.html
• Current CEP class http//www.llc.rpi.edu/martiv/c
  ep/index.html

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Include (and coordinate) Resume

• Update your resume
• Be sure skills stated on the resume are evidenced
  in the portfolio
• Be sure that skills evidenced in the portfolio
  appear on your resume
• Consider hyperlinking items on the resume to
  items in your portfolio

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Now What?

• Collect criteria of excellence for your field
• Locate, select, devise evidence that addresses
  the criteria put as much in one folder if you
  can
• Write short descriptive paragraphs for each piece
  of evidence include evaluative statements
• Enroll in a DreamWeaver Workshop