How should I begin?
Put the weeks each piece is due in your calendar. These are to guide you so that you do not fall behind. The specific dates are different for each semester, but you can put dates on each week that each part is due.
Read the Technical Requirements and set up your portfolio. Post the link to your portfolio in the LiveText Site for this class.
Print out the standards for your program. If you are in the Ed Tech Program, you will print the Ed Tech Standards. If you are in the Math Program you will print out the Math Standards. Each set of standards is organized by School of Education Goals, and each School of Education Goal is aligned with ISTE (Ed Tech Majors) or NCTM/ACEI (Math Ed Majors) goals.
Print out the appropriate rubric (Ed Tech or Math). Read the Rubric well.
Assemble all portfolio artifacts into one folder on your computer. These artifacts are your evidence of mastery of the SOE goals. They are frequently assignments you completed somewhere in your program or items you have created to use in your own classroom.
Begin to write your reflections. You will write Nine Reflections, based on the Nine Goals in the School of Education.
The first Goal is your Philosophy. It is more than a simple reflection. It is what you believe as a teacher.
Each Goal has been aligned with pertinent ISTE or NCTM/ACEI standards. You will focus on evidence (at least two items for each goal) that you have met the standards organized within each goal. Your artifacts provide evidence that you have mastered the goal. Your reflections will outline the way that you think the artifacts specifically meet that goal.
For instance, for Ed Tech, Goal One is defined as follows:
SOE Goal 1: Educators articulate, maintain, and develop a philosophy of education that is demonstrated in their practice.
(STANDARDS)
a. support their philosophy of education with research-based theory and evidence. (K)
b. apply their philosophy, beliefs, and theory to practice. (S)
c. are guided by their philosophy of education are flexible in revising it based on new research and teaching experience (D)
ISTE Standards (NETS-C)1a. Contribute to the development, communication, and implementation of a shared vision for the comprehensive use of technology to support a digital-age education for all students
1b. Contribute to the planning, development, communication, implementation, and evaluation of technology-infused strategic plans at the district and school levels
6c. Regularly evaluate and reflect on their professional practice and dispositions to improve and strengthen their ability to effectively model and facilitate technology-enhanced learning experiences
In your artifacts that accompany your philosophy you should demonstrate support your philosophy of education with research-based theory and evidence. An artifact that might support this could be the paper you created for your research class. The literature review within the paper clearly indicates that you utilized research-based theory and evidence to explore a problem in the classroom related to your philosophy of education. You might cite theorists as you discuss your philosophy of education and the artifacts that demonstrate that it is based on research. As you integrated technology in the classroom, or math strategies in the classroom, you applied your philosophy, beliefs and theory in practice. Tell us how this happened. What aspect of classroom integration really support your philosophy? And finally, have you changed your philosophy based on new research and experiences as you have gone through the program? Most of us have had aha! moments as we discuss with classmates or completed an assignment. Offer the artifact that triggered this aha! moment, and then discuss what this change in philosophy meant to your practice.
Once you have discussed the SOE Goals, move on to the ISTE Or NCTM standards. Rather than looking at the ISTE or NCTM standards individually, try to look at them as a whole. Which of your artifacts demonstrate proficiency in the common elements of the standards? This reflection will require high-level synthesis.
Reflect goal by goal, always explaining and defending your decision to use the artifact that you chose
to demonstrate your proficiency of the Goal and Standards you have chosen.
It is likely (even inevitable) that an artifact will meet more than one standard within the same goal, or among several goals. That is perfectly fine. Each time you create a reflection be certain to address the standards in the goal, and the way that the artifact demonstrates mastery of those particular standards. You will find yourself looking at an artifact through several different lenses.
When I check the draft of your portfolio, I will provide specific feedback to assist you in tweaking your portfolio to meet the standards of this course.
As you have questions, please contact me at any time. I will be happy to talk with you or email with you to assist you in creating your portfolio to the best of your abilities.