Week 2

Introduction to Publisher and ePortfolios

Introduction to MS Publisher. This week's workshop has progressed at a much better pace. Using the interactive board to slowly go through the steps, the class has been able to better follow the steps. I can see that I am not the only one, as everyone is appearing more relaxed.

Our first task was to produce a brochure of a holiday destination. Publisher was a great mode to do this in, as it provides you with professional looking results, quickly. The design templates allow you to experiment with different looks. The students would take great pride and ownership of their works, when using these ways of displaying their texts. A great way to complete procedural texts - as Greg said - for example - 'How to change batteries in a torch.'

After completing the brochures we moved onto ePortfolios - looking at how we can use them in the classroom and also how we can use these for our own job hunting. The readings advise us that the use of Digital portfolios allow for the students to learn ICT skills in a real life situation, by creating their own multimedia presentation, and saving their works in a 'workable area'. Rather than using their ICT skills in the ICT lab to produce works that are often thrown into the schoolbag - never to re-emerge.

James Andersons' (2004) article of Habits of Mind - informs us that students, using a digital portfolio can learn skills that will help them become lifelong learners. The 4 important steps are: 1) Collection of data to display 2) Selection of the types of data to display, 3) Reflection upon the progress that enabled you to complete the work and 4) Projection for future self learning. For example the students can show a range of works and how they have improved, or learnt how to complete these. From here, they can set their own goals on how they want their portfolio to look, and how they can go about learning the steps to show further progress.

Woodword and Nanlohy's reading highlighted the benefit for visual and auditory learners. That it is a good tool for authors of a digital portfolio to learn ICT skills. As student teachers, their study group found it good for developing self esteem, a tool for professional development and a method of ensuring good teacher practice. A digital portfolio also allows the author to think about who their audience is and provides them with an opportunity to design their own individual, creative presentation while still complying with all the task requirements.

Here is an example of my first attempt at an ePortfolio. It requires a lot more work!