Do you want to develop digital portfolios with your students? Join our book club!
The single most important thing you could do tomorrow for little to no money is have every student establish a digital portfolio where they collect their best work as evidence of their skills.
-Dr. Tony Wagner, Expert in Residence, Harvard University
Developing digital portfolios with your students can be a game-changing action in your classroom. Here are just a few of the benefits:
Teach students digital citizenship.
Guide students to become more reflective learners.
Provide for a more comprehensive assessment system.
Highlight and celebrate student progress and performance.
Not sure where to begin? Then join our July Book Club!
Here is how to get started:
Purchase the book on Amazon (link), iBooks (link), or Nook (link). I am offering 10% off this month when purchased directly through me, if you don't mind the brief lag in response and a PayPal request.
Request access to our Google+ Community (link). This is where our conversations will be housed.
Check out the dates below for a timeline of chapters to be read.
June 29 - July 3: Chapter 1 - Purposes for Portfolios
July 6 - July 10: Chapter 2 - Performance Portfolios
July 13- July 17: Chapter 3 - Progress Portfolios
July 20 - July 24: Chapter 4 - From Files to Footprints: Beyond Digital Student Portfolios
In August, we will keep the conversations going informally. It would be a good month to ask final questions and conclude our time together with a celebration of sorts.
What you can expect from me:
A thought-provoking question posted once a week day in our Google+ Community throughout the four weeks. Also expect possible follow up responses from distinguished members of our community and/or me.
Full access during these four weeks to me for questions and demonstrations you might request regarding digital tools, processes, and leadership strategies. I will include my personal phone number and offer Google+ Hangouts to chat in real time.
An update on what our school is implementing regarding digital portfolios, current tools of choice, and our school's brand new process for helping students reflect on and respond to their important and lifeworthy work online.
Not bad, right? I am also willing to issue very formal (~ahem~) certificates of participation for this book club, assuming frequent and thoughtful activity in our Google+ Community. This documentation may be used toward professional hours/accreditation within your district or university. Please check with your supervisor before assuming anything.
In closing, I can confidently state that the teachers I've observed who have experienced the greatest growth in their students' knowledge, skills, and dispositions are those that a) highlighted their students' best work, b) provided time for them to reflect on their progress, and c) gave feedback on their current capacities and allowed for personal goal setting.
If these descriptors sounds like the teacher that you might want to be in 2015-2016, I highly encourage you to join us for our July 2015 book club. You won't regret it.
