ePortfolio

What is an ePortfolio and why are we doing them?
An ePortfolio is just an online learning journal. It’s your own record of what you’re learning and thinking about in the course. You will make a GoogleSite and grant me online access to it, so that I can check it and keep track of your learning. It’s not just for me, though – it should be a personalized way for YOU to record and assess your own learning in the course.

What goes in it?
You could include notes on the readings, quotations that you found particularly important along with your commentary, ideas you had while reading, connections with other things that you have read outside the class assignments, questions for me or for the author (even if s/he can’t really answer them), critiques, reviews, summaries, responses. These don’t have to be polished, they can be ideas, theories or hypotheses that haven’t been refined and tested yet. What made you stop and think? Did something change your perspective, or reinforce it?

You could use the ePortfolio as a way to continue (or anticipate) class discussion. Things you wish you’d said, or things we didn’t cover that you wished we had. Things you really agreed with or disagreed with in discussion. Discussion questions you hope to bring up in class. Main points you learned. Action items you want to do later. Things you were confused about.

You can also use the ePortfolio as a way to reflect not just on WHAT you are reading, but HOW you are reading: notes to yourself about how, or in what order, you approached the reading. Ideas for how to read more closely, better, or deeper. What was confusing, and how you got through tough patches. Your reflections on the course and what you are learning from it.

Step One: Make Your ePortfolio

Do this by 1/21/2010 if you can.

Start at the Google homepage, google.com.

Along the top navigation links, go to More –> Sites

Sign in (top right corner) using your Gmail username and password, or another email account.

Click “Create a Site.”
Use “Blank Template” which is the default.
Give it a name (HI215yourlastname is probably an easy choice).
If you want to choose a “theme” now, you can click on the Plus sign [+] next to “Choose a theme” and select one (you can also change this later).

Important:
Do click on the Plus sign [+] next to “More Options.” Select “Only people I specify can view this site.” That keeps it from being a public website (you can also change this later).

Fill in the crazy word, and click “Create Site.”

You’re done.

I think you can also complete these same instructions from within GMail, which may be easier – but faculty don’t have campus GMail so I’m not sure how to do it that way.

Step Two: Share your Site with me

Now, add me as a visitor so I can read your posts.

In your new site, go to “More Actions” –> Share This Site

Invite me, by typing in my email address: thangen (at) worcester (dot) edu and click “Invite These People.”

When I get your invitation I will send you a reply to let you know it worked.

Step Three: Organize and Post to Your ePortfolio

Now that you’ve created your ePortfolio, you can set it up any way you like. Add pages by clicking on “Create a Page” (you can also make sub-pages by putting the new one under one that you already made). “Web Page” is the default and it’s a plain-text page. If you want to get a little fancier, use “Announcements” to make a blog page.

Edit or make changes to pages by just clicking “Edit Page” on whatever page you are on and then clicking “Save Changes” when you’re done.

There’s no one right way to set up your site. It’s up to you. You could do a new page each week, or for each book and reading, or sort by topic, or any other way that makes sense to you. It should just be fairly easy for me (the reader) to find your new content somehow.

You can either write thinking of me as the reader, if it helps to have an audience, or you can pretend I’m not there and write just for yourself.

I will check your ePortfolios each Monday. There’s no set amount that you need to write each week – you can post once, or as many times as you like. I will give you some feedback within the first few weeks as I see how everyone is doing, to let you know if you need to be doing more, or if you’re on track, or if I have specific suggestions as the semester progresses.