Leading the Way
NISD Principal's Guide to ePortfolios
As an NISD principal, we know you want to be connected to what's happening in classrooms across the district. Needless to say, you are the driving force of instruction on your campus, and we wanted to offer some ePortfolio resources designed for campus leadership.
Why are ePortfolios crucial to education?
ePortfolios provide an authentic way for students to showcase their dynamic abilities, evidence of learning, and individual growth over time while yielding a powerful and comprehensive digital resume for student reflection.
As 21st century learners, students must be prepared with high levels of academic strengths including literacy, digital skills, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and communication. Current assessment methods are often one dimensional when it comes to truly evaluating student learning and knowledge. An underlying factor of ePortfolios is to prepare all students to be successful, productive citizens capable of critical thinking and problem solving.
Moving Forward
Monitoring Progress
A potential role moving forward is to facilitate conversations regarding quality work. You are an invaluable resource in terms of helping your students evaluate and reflect on their work. This video will show you how to search for your student ePortfolios.
Modeling
Many principals and educators have chosen to lead the way by modeling ePortfolios for students and showcasing their expertise and experiences. If you are interested in moving forward with designing a professional ePortfolio, our instructional technology team is happy to support you. Here is a video showing you how to create your own ePortfolio.
Goal Setting and Reflection
The ePortfolio provides an opportunity for all NISD students. Every campus is at a different stage in the implementation process, and many campuses have found the following techniques to have impact.
- Campus-wide understanding WHY ePortfolios are so valuable
- Continuous conversation
- Understanding that the ePortfolio is a cyclical process of adding work, reflection, and showing growth
- Opportunities for authentic assessment (Ex: Write the cover/branding page as part of english lesson.)