Step 1. Artifacts Exercise

Introduction. Teacher-educators represent a wide range of skills, interests, and experiences. Each of us begins our academic career as a student of Education. Typically, a four-year teacher pre-service program is followed by a lifetime of in-classroom teaching and scholarly pursuits. Learner, expert, and scholar - the roles may change but the need for continuous professional development remains constant. Portfolios have evolved to take center stage in the field of education from their earliest beginnings as assessment tools for the Arts and Music. Today, they are taking on more comprehensive roles in lifelong teacher learning.

Artifacts. For the avid portfolio user, artifacts are the evidence of portfolios. Each artifact represents an element of personal intellectual value, a tool to be thoughtfully considered for its potential application in some future academic endeavor. To grasp the fundamental organizational aspects of the portfolio and its component artifacts, the following exercise has been developed. Click on each of the artifact examples below. How would you categorize the item? You will be shown several containers into which you may place the artifact. Keep in mind that someday you may need to find it again, so make your choice wisely.

Teaching Certificate. Here is your original teaching certificate obtained from the state following completion of your undergraduate program, national teacher examination, and student teaching. You know that you will be expected to produce this artifact on several occasions throughout your career. So, into which of the following folders would you store this artifact? Click on your choice.

Professional Periodicals and Resources. Check out this list of journals and magazines for the professional educator. Which folder seems the most appropriate receptacle for this artifact? Click on your choice.

Assessment Tool for First Grade. Teachers often share assessment instruments for thematic units which they design. This artifact helps teachers evaluate the success of their lesson. Click on the folder which should house this item.

Electronic NTCE Site. This last artifact is relatively easy, so no hints. Click on your choice.

Interim Summary. OK, how did you do? There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to artifacts. But you probably did come away from the exercise with several questions, such as who, what, how, where, and when. Perhaps we can supply an answer to these common questions about the use of portfolios. We will ask Foley to help us.

Different implementations of the portfolio are required if it is to prove useful to the lifelong learner. The concept of Teacher as Learner, Teacher as Expert, and Teacher as Scholar answers the question of WHO would be using the portfolio. Educators display characteristics of three different natures over the span of a 30-year career in education. An internal assessment of where the portfolio user is in an academic career must be considered before the correct format of the portfolio can be selected. If you are not yet certain which "Teacher" you are, the next exercise will assist you in making this important determination. For now, let's continue with the questions...

For the educator, the five overarching Foundations -- Reading, Writing, Thinking, Interacting, and Demonstrating -- dictate WHAT artifacts are to be gathered. With Thinking as the focal point for all implementations, artifacts can be scrutinized for their value to the educator as they read, write, interact, and demonstrate their knowledge. The focus of your collections will depend on whether you consider yourself to be a Learner, Expert, or Scholar.

Collecting, Working, and Showcase folders provide the answer to HOW artifacts will be stored in the portfolio by matching these folders with a particular phase of a teacher's career. Collecting artifacts are the major concern of the Teacher-Learner, working artifacts are most often used by the Teacher-Expert, and showcase artifacts determine the success of the Teacher-Scholar.

Collection Points serve as repositories for storing artifacts; that's your answer to the WHERE question. Each Collection Point expands to whatever size is required to hold a career's-worth of educational resources, all but assuring that students will find common locations for similar artifacts.

The question of WHEN to use the Smart or Intelligent Portfolio is perhaps the most common question raised when selecting a portfolio format. Hard copy or electronic is a choice many feel must be made exclusively and permanently. Neither is correct. Let's go ahead and complete this review, because in just a few minutes, we provide an entire exercise devoted to this question. We will help you decide which is best for you.

The final question may indeed be the easiest to answer. WHY portfolios are important to the educator can be answered in four words: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, and Growth. The collection of artifacts is pointless unless it contributes to your learning and, later, to the way you convey that learning to those under your charge. Portfolios have always placed personal and professional evaluation at the forefront of their intent; they will continue to be viewed in this light for many years to come. Finally, our portfolio will take aim on professional growth and personal development. The Smart and Intelligent Portfolios have your maturity as an educator as its primary focus.

Conclusion. Congratulations for completing Step 1 of the Portfolio Exercise. Hopefully, you found some answers to those initial first questions you might have had about portfolios. Let's return to the Portfolio Exercise Home Page and continue our exploration. Click Here