Wednesday

Teachers' Day

Today is Teachers' Day, and I'm giving myself a gift. This new blog. It has nothing to do with all the other blogs I maintain, nor my Tweets and Tumblr posts, nor Facebook--yet. This is to focus on developing my awareness of ePortfolios--how to produce them, and how to instill the motivation for English students here at the Tec to produce them. Have started on the process by reading and watching a lot of imparted information, and will work under the tutelage of Dr Helen Barrett, an expert in the field. Have noted, also, there are several other Tec teachers going through this with me, and that gives me a comfortable feeling.
I'm not a neophyte to all the technology, but there is so much to learn and changes occur so fast, that it sometimes feels as though one were drifting behind a blur of knowledge. Knew there was a plethora of resources for keeping notes and making journal entries electronically, but now I hope to discover what works best, and how to combine resources to make the keeping of a portfolio easy and fun, to have those who will be doing it see the differences between process and product and take pleasure in both.
Have been made aware of Simon Sinek's Golden Circle and The Power of Why, and though these concepts appear fairly obvious, I'm looking at these principles from a refreshed point of view. It's just a chore to do something if it's done without enjoyment. Can see the similarities between electronic portfolios and social networking in that both comprise the sharing of life moments and images and sensations, but the big difference seems to be that networking on something like Facebook is without the purpose of another venue such as LinkedIn, whereas portfolios are a testament (lifelong, hopefully) to the process of one's learning. It was mentioned that getting a job won't be the same in future and that is already a changing thing. People will not be selling out and attaching themselves to some company in a nameless, faceless way, but rather they will be adding to their self image and they will be the product advertising themselves and their capabilities, and perhaps be sought after rather than seeking.
In short, portfolios have always been a valuable tool to help one make it into the marketplace, but now with the technology at hand, and the ability to carry all one's information around in their pocket, it is easier than ever, and providentially more efficient. And it's out there; it's not like writing one's memoirs in some dusty back room.

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