Eportfolio Purpose/Description/Analysis
"Studying one's own learning process...can be a powerful method of enhancing learning." (Papert, 1993)
Continued:
In addition to social studies/language arts content goals for my students I also want them to become lifelong learners and understand and take responsiblity for their own learning. Reflections on their assignments help them to do this, but often students don't understand that work habits play a significant role in their learning. At the end of the year when the students are compiling their ePortfolios of their work, I also ask them to include an entry reflecting upon their "habits of work" for the year: punctuality, organization, focus, cooperation, metacognition, revision.
From a student's annotated table of contents in his ePortfolio
Another important goal is to help students learn to practice higher order thinking skills. These are "habits of mind" and include: viewpoint, evidence, supposition, connections, relevance. As students compile their ePortfolios I ask them to do an entry reflecting on each of the habits of mind and link to the ePortfolio work that is evidence of their practicing each habit.
A look at more ePortfolio entries:
| Student eportfolio: | Teacher Insights: |
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Student D's Habits of Work Entry
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Student D is an A student. He knows exactly what good habits are and he practices them. He is metacognitive about his own learning. Notice what he said about revision and the typo there.
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Student C's Habits of Work Entry
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.Student C has struggled with work habits this year, often turning work in late. He tends to blame something or someone else for his poor grades. When I decided that students would include an analysis of their work habits in their eportfolios I wanted them to understand the connection of good habits to good grades. Many students feel that they aren't smart enough to make good grades, whereas in reality their work habits are the determining factor. I stressed that we wouldn't use the word "bad" but that they should truly look at their habits and understand where they need improvement. This activity tended to raise self esteem! |
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Student M's Habits of Mind Entry
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Student M's
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Student M's
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