Educational Technology: ePortfolio Assignment

You will be asked to complete a number of projects in EDU 241, including an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio). There are various authoring programs that can be used to create ePortfolios. In the past, this course used Adobe GoLive. However, this authoring program can be cumbersome and requires a paid subscription. Alternatively, we will be using Google Sites this semester. This free authoring program has many advantages. For example, you do not need to have any previous technical knowledge nor do you have to learn HTML in order to build a high-quality website. Please see below for information on individual pages within your website.

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Your Home Page

The homepage for your electronic portfolio welcomes the visitor (i.e. "Welcome to the Electronic Portfolio of _____________"). Your page needs to include the below elements.

Click here to see the rubric for this page.

Elements for the Home Page:

• Introductory paragraph about yourself
• Information explaining what the visitor will find in your website
• Brief explanation of why you have chosen to pursue the profession of teaching
• Contact information (i.e. name, mailing address, and email address)
• An educational quote of professional and personal significance
• Your picture
• A common navigation bar, which should include links to: (1) Your Major/Core Concentration Page; (2) Your Homepage; (3) Your Technology Page. Please note that you cannot actually create these links until you have created the pages. So, the link to your Technology page will be created at the end of the semester.

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Major/Core Concentration

This page will include information about your teaching licensure area (elementary education, secondary education, or K-12) and your major or core concentration (such as mathematics, music, or social studies). Your page needs to include the below elements. Click here to see the rubric for this page.

Elements for the Majors Page:

• A description of why you are interested in teaching a specific developmental group and/or content area
• An educational quote of professional and personal significance
• An appropriate graphic
• A common navigation bar, which should include links to: (1) Your Major/Core Concentration Page; (2) Your Homepage; (3) Your Technology Page. Please note that you cannot actually create these links until you have created the pages. So, the link to your Technology page will be created at the end of the semester.

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Technology Projects Page

This link, which will be embedded in your majors page and/or on the common navigation bar, will bring the visitor to a page you create in EDU-241. This page will include an informational paragraph that describes your interest in and mastery of critical issues related to the field of educational technology. Your page needs to include the below elements. Click here to see the rubric for this page.

Elements for the Technology Page:

1. How can technology be used to enrich student learning? Use TWO specific examples of a technology environment as a framework for addressing this question. You can choose technology discussed this semester (i.e. Smartboard, Adventure Learning, Second Life, iPads, Powerpoint, Prezi, Concepts Maps (Kidspiration), Clickers (Senteos), Garageband, Electronic gradebooks, Twitter, Blog, Wikis, Flipped Classrooms).

• Briefly describe each piece of technology (1 - 2 paragraphs)       
• Describe why you think these particular pieces of technology can be used to enhance learning (approximately 2 paragraphs)     

     

2. What is ONE critical social, ethical, or legal issue surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools? You can choose any topic related to social, ethical, or legal issues surrounding technology.

• Describe the issue (approximately 2 paragraphs)
• Describe why you think this issue is critical (app. 2 paragraphs)

3. How has this course (EDU-241) facilitated your understanding of educational technology in the classroom? In other words, what do you feel like you learned in this class that will help you use technology in the classroom (approximately 1 – 2 paragraphs).

4. As with your other webpages, the Technology Projects page should contain an appropriate graphic and quote

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Links:

• Resumé

This link will be to a pdf version of your resumé. It is suggested that you link your resumé as a pdf document to your homepage (as opposed to having a separate page for your resumé).

• National Discipline-Specific Standard (e.g. Social Studies, Music, etc.)

When a visitor clicks on this link, the person will go to a website that is specific to your disipline standards. In order to add this link:

1. Go to the Minnesota Department of Education website with the content specific standards. Please click here.

2. Once on the Minnesota Department of Education website with the content specific standards, locate your specific standard by scrolling down the page.

3. Download the appropriate document ("Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in _______").

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