The Intelligent Portfolio for the Teacher as Scholar
Building the Intelligent Portfolio is a
combination of three simple electronic tasks:
The emphasis of the Intelligent Portfolio for the
Teacher as Scholar shifts to the contributory nature of the teacher. In
this phase of one's career, the focus is on scholarship, publishing,
presenting, and reporting new ideas. Interacting rises to the forefront
as the portfolio supports the design, development, and presentation of
new thinking.
We will begin this exercise by creating a
Macintosh desktop that resembles the following graphic.
Use the example above to guide you in creating
the folders.
The folders you just created on your hard drive
must be populated with icons that will reflect the most common
applications in each of the portfolio components. The following
graphics depict the specific software applications that should be
included in the Intelligent Portfolio for the Teacher as Scholar.
Construct your portfolio to include as many of these packages as
possible. If your computer does not come with these packages, we
recommend that you find a source for these applications or substitute
others of equal capability. It is acceptable to omit those you know you
will not be using and add others that may not appear as options here.
You have already created the primary folder for
your Collection Points. This initial folder will help you locate and
retrieve artifacts throughout the lifetime of your portfolio. Next, we
need to create 12 new folders within the Collection Point folder -- one
for each of the Teacher as Scholar folders.
From within the Collection Point
folder, Click on File --> New Folder from the Menu Bar and
create 12 new folders. Name them as shown in the examples presented by
Foley below. He will offer some specific examples of the artifacts that
belong in each of the Collection Points. If you have already reviewed
the previous Teacher-Learner or Teacher-Expert implementations, you
will note two new folders in the dominant Showcase area and two revised
containers in the Working folders for this final version of the
Intelligent Portfolio.
Collection Points continue to be grouped into
three major categories:
Collecting. The Collecting folder
serves as a temporary repository for artifacts. Artifacts move from the
Collecting folder to the Working folder for implementation, then to the
Showcase folder as documented research, professional presentation, or
proof of scholarship. Unlike other implementations of the portfolio,
these materials are not expected to remain in the folders for an
extended period of time. The Teacher as Scholar collects materials
important enough to make timely contributions to the profession and
discards those which do not.
Working. For the Teacher as Scholar, the Working
folder takes on a somewhat different purpose than the previous
Teacher-Expert implementation. The Working Folder is a "temporary
storage" location for work-in-progress as material passes from
collection to completion. In this version of the Intelligent Portfolio,
reflections, goals, milestones, and projects are maintained to support
the evolution to Showcase artifacts. Some 25 percent of your efforts in
this stage of professional development will consist of work-in-progress
under various stages of development.
Showcase. The implementation of the
Intelligent Portfolio has shifted focus as it attempts to stay abreast
of the maturing educator. The contents of the Showcase portion
of the portfolio will grow as presentations, publications, and course
materials swell these folders with electronic files representing your
best research, writing, and professional development efforts.
The emphasis of the Intelligent Portfolio
for the Teacher as Scholar will be on the Showcase folder of the
portfolio. This folder will become the most used component of your
portfolio as you share your thinking with colleagues and peers.
Now that you have created the folders and
Collection Points for the Intelligent Portfolio for the Teacher as
Scholar, you can begin to use your computer to store and retrieve
artifacts that will be used throughout your time as an educator. We
will finish our directions with a few tips from Foley for using your
portfolio.
Tips for Using the Intelligent Portfolio
1. Showcasing your best work is the focus
of this implementation of the Intelligent Portfolio.
Unlike previous applications, this version of
the Intelligent Portfolio will contain several additional items of both
hardware and software to support the development efforts that make the
Teacher as Scholar unique. The primary suggestion is to depend on
previous artifacts stored in the Intelligent Portfolio to target the
various presentations, publications, and course materials to be
developed. Do not spend an inordinate amount of time being awed by the
collections of the past, but rather in determining the best areas for
the future of the education discipline.
2. Visit Collection Points following the
completion of any artifact added to the portfolio.
Unlike previous versions which suggested
weekly or semester visits with your artifacts, the Teacher as Scholar
Intelligent Portfolio requires less frequent reviews. Additions (and
perhaps deletions as well) should trigger a review of a particular
Collection Point to ensure that added material is worthy of remaining
in your portfolio and material you are considering for deletion is
justified.
3. Continue to upgrade your Intelligent
Portfolio.
Perhaps the only tip to remain consistent
throughout all implementations of the Intelligent Portfolio is to
continually upgrade hardware and software. Such attention will ensure
compatibility with state-of-the-art technology and new approaches to
using that technology in the classroom. New operating systems, software
versions, and hardware peripherals should be evaluated in light of how
each can benefit the Intelligent Portfolio for the tasks at hand. Do
not upgrade just for the sake of having the latest and greatest
technology; few can afford that luxury. Rather, make changes that will
enhance the ability of your Intelligent Portfolio to serve as a
lifelong tool for learning and development.
4. Remain current on instructional
technology.
Previous implementations cautioned against
changing software unless there were mitigating circumstances such as
local support or better pricing. For the Teacher as Scholar, upgrades
should be more methodical. As a proponent of technology in the
classroom, you must stay abreast of the latest developments in
instructional media. Your Reading folder should include a
technology-oriented periodical specifically addressing computers in the
classroom
5. The future is on the Internet.
Many of the folders and Collection Points
identified in this chapter involve (or depend upon) the Internet either
as a source of information or as a host on which the information will
reside. Devote a significant proportion of your time and effort
interacting with your Intelligent Portfolio in these areas. The scholar
will be expected to use the Internet not only as a source of research
but also as a warehouse for your own best works -- offered in
electronic context to share with fellow educators.
Return to the
Build Your Own Portfolio Menu
Copyright ©2004
by Dr. Lawrence Tomei
Created 1998
Revised 10/28/2004
Contact Information: Email: tomei@rmu.edu