Tech Play 2

 

This was my most intense endeavor for this Ed Tech course.  Exploring the different e-portfolio formats and deciding on which one would work best for me. Three years ago, I had the opportunity to learn how to do this through my job but felt that I would not have a need for it even though I was interested in learning how to put one together.  At the time, I created a Weebly page and that was as far as I got. Then came this right back in my life more intense and an academic requirement.

I went to the Auburn University’s site and they had approximately ten different models produced through different source providers that I could review. After playing with some of the others I decided upon Weebly. It was so much easier to use and that had a high rating out of the top ten providers for creating e-portfolio and blog sites recommended by ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education). Their list of recommended sites where:

1.      Digication – free with a subscription through Google Apps for Education.

2.      Epsilen – offers a standard e-portfolio template for life at no cost.

3.      Googlio – good site for students who already have Google and gmail accounts

4.      Prezi – which allows viewers to see how an e-portfolio content connects

5.      Wix.com – free portfolio development system; no coding easy drag n’ drop feature

6.      WordPress- this system can be customizing into a full-fledged CMS

7.      iWebfolio- archive and organize work materials

8.      Chalk and Wire- students can feature completed assignments and their reflections

9.      Moofolio- teachers and students can collect and reflect on portfolio artifacts

10.  RCampus – students can build a lifelong ePortfolio

• www.wix.com
• www.iste.org 
• auburn university eportfolio-examples

The tools where easy to use and for a novice like myself they made the process of moving pictures from my photo gallery and from the internet easily accessible.

The Weebly site offers my novice knowledge base many affordances to help me maneuver through the program. I can make mistakes and easily correct them without feeling overwhelmed. If I were to recommend a site that is user friendly for someone who has limited to no site knowledge than Weebly is highly recommended.  I have already told several students about how easy it was for me to use.  When I was trying to decide on a site the college students quickly recommended Weebly to me. It was also the site that the university recommended when I took the training on creating an e-portfolio those years ago, that I decided to delay.

When I started to review sites, I noticed that no matter what the subject matter the Weebly site worked well. I read information from students who were in medicine, music, culinary arts, design and more.  All of them could create a useful and beautiful web presence.

Their where many obstacles that I faced simply because of my lack of knowledge.  I spent a lot more time getting familiar with the program and having many hit and miss and redo mistakes.  Eventually over several days along with computer technical problems that had nothing to do with the site.  I could come up with something I am proud of. 

With my new-found skills, I decided to start two other blogs along with the one I had to maintain for class.  One deals with my love of gardening and woodworking the other with an adult class that I assist a teacher with for senior citizens at a retirement home.  It’s amazing, here is a person who just three weeks ago, had no idea what exactly a blog was and whether it would have meaning in my life. What a difference a few weeks make?