Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- Students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville are beginning the process of converting traditional hardcopy portfolios into an electronic masterpiece.

Primarily using the web based program Dreamweaver as their guide, students in the UWP School of Education are gradually learning to navigate and create a personalized electronic portfolio in fulfillment of the requirement to present competency and completion of standards pertaining to educational licensure.

"The advantages of using an electronic portfolio is that is requires a notch more creativity, it shows that the educator is technologically savvy and provides a convenient delivery," said Lisa Emendorfer, UWP instructor. "An electronic portfolio is also easily updated."

Electronic portfolio representation will be a requirement, not an option, for those students graduating after August of 2004.

An electronic portfolio help session will be conducted on Thursday, Dec. 4 in the Hempel Collaboratory located in the Pioneer Student Center. To attend the session, students can sign up in Doudna Hall, room132.

Items included in the portfolio are a resume, autobiography, statement of philosophy and artifacts that pertain to experience, competencies and assessment. These items are included to meet standards that signify good teaching procedures.

"Students should look at this as an opportunity to sell themselves," said Emendorfer. "Understanding the technology and HTML language can be challenging, but we have people on campus who can help make the integration easier."

Specific guidelines for building a portfolio are available at http://www.uwplatt.edu/education/Pcontents.htm or guidelines for building an electronic portfolio at http://www.uwplatt.edu/education/Prefs.htm.