Introduction to the Reader

This is the second "portfolio" that I have created for myself. However, I have been a packrat all of my life. I have a scrapbook that I put together in high school, to highlight my drama experiences. I also put together a binder of a small collection of documents that I wrote at an insurance company. When I was Staff Development Coordinator for a school district, I collected the programs for all the districtwide inservices that I planned and organized. My first real professional portfolio was created for my first annual review for my tenure-track position at a university. That document was updated every year until I applied for (and received) tenure in 2003. That first portfolio was comprised of a collection of artifacts (my archive), and a document that outlined my achievement of my responsibilities in Teaching, Research, and Service (my university professor roles) as well as my reflection on meeting the standards of the Association for Teacher Educators. That portfolio was organized around an externally-imposed framework, defined by my university's requirements for a "P & T" file. This portfolios is more a multimedia story of my professional work, with connections to my personal life as appropriate. Because it is posted to a website, some of the reflections will be edited for a more public audience. Once this portfolio is finished, it will be converted into PDF format and pressed to CD with much better versions of the videos than can be streamed over the WWW.

Why a new portfolio?

Since I put together that first formal portfolio, I have spent a lot of time with my granddaughter, helping her build her own electronic portfolio. That experience changed my perspective on the portfolio process. For further detail on that transformation in my thinking, consult the section in this portfolio that I call "My Journey with Electronic Portfolios."

Organization

As I recommend how to organize this portfolio, I suggest using a set of outcomes, goals or standards. This document will NOT be a standards-based portfolio. I have created an organization that highlights my professional accomplishments, but can also be a planning tool for my future professionaln and personal growth. I hope to make it a more engaging example of how a series of reflections and digital stories can be a "living history of a teaching-learning life."

Technology Tools

I also took a very different technological approach to this portfolio, using Dreamweaver as my word processor. My first portfolio was constructed with Word, FileMaker Pro and AppleWorks, with a few other tools, all documents coverted into PDF, hyperlinked and pressed to CD. This portfolio is a basic web site, with streaming video, posted to one of my online web servers. Since most portfolios are web-based documents, I thought it was important to have the experience of publishing in a web-based format.

How to Navigate this document.

I set up the links in this document

SUMMARY OF SKILLS AND ABILITIES

I considered using the "SUMMARY OF SKILLS AND ABILITIES" that is in my Vita: One approach in electronic portfolios is to match these skills and abilities to specific artifacts or evidence.

• Facilitating long-range technology planning related to implementation of electronic portfolios
• Assessing needs for training and designing appropriate learning programs to meet continuing education needs of adult learners, especially in the area of technical skills training
• Teaching adults to become productive with various computers, primarily in using applications software, telecommunications, and multimedia technologies (CD-ROM and laserdiscs) in the learning process. Selecting and using software to achieve desired results from Windows and Macintosh computers
• Innovation and creativity necessary to establish new systems and procedures in programs and organizations. Have an aptitude for systems design and problem solving
• Program Planning, Grant Proposal Writing and Grant Administration. Organizational Management skills: Planning, Organizing, Directing, Controlling
• Office Management and direct supervision of five employees. Full responsibility for fiscal control of non-profit corporation, with budget in excess of $500K per year, including cash management, accounting, budgeting and long-range planning (IVA)
• Self-directed learner -- committed to the concept and practice of life-long learning