Portfolio - Instructional Technology
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This portion of the handbook is designed to assist Instructional Technology candidates in Instructional Technology developing a professional portfolio. Portfolios are required of every special education candidate. Portfolios will be used as an exit requirement for completion of the graduate degree program. Within this handbook, answers to the following questions will be addressed:
- What is a professional portfolio?
- What are the benefits of a professional portfolio?
- What is the conceptual framework of the professional portfolio?
- TaskStream: Your Professional Online Portfolio
What is a professional portfolio?
Purdue University Calumet believes that teachers, instructional designers, and other performance improvement specialists must be able to demonstrate their competencies, skills, and dispositions (attitudes) through a collection of artifacts organized into a professional portfolio. In addition to artifacts, reflection narratives must be included in which the candidate writes about how he/she demonstrated a particular standard through professional experience. Each course in the PUC program provides an opportunity for the candidate to create a portfolio entry. By the time the candidate is ready to graduate, she/he has a complete professional portfolio.
What Are the Benefits of a Professional Portfolio?
It is the intent of the PUC Instructional Technology program to provide candidates with many opportunities to reflect on their professional experiences and set goals for their future development. Portfolios provide one avenue for this reflective growth.
A Professional Portfolio can benefit candidates by:
- encouraging professional pride by providing a place to organize and display an individual's accomplishments
- providing a personally meaningful account of knowledge and skills
- serving as a professional resource throughout the education program
- providing strategies for implementing portfolios for future licensure/licensure
- encouraging reflection on professional and personal development
- providing a means for clearly communicating professional and personal assets
- providing a concrete reference for use during job interviews
What is the conceptual framework of the professional portfolio?
The professional portfolio is designed so that it directly links with the conceptual framework adopted by the School of Education. This framework guides all of the School of Education’s programs, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and reflects the themes of creating knowledge, developing practice, and fostering relationships.
The conceptual framework was used as the guiding document when preparing standards for each of the School of Education’s programs. These standards are to be directly linked to candidates’ performance in their portfolios. Standards have been developed that reflect (a) general core knowledge (General Standards) for all graduate students, and (b) individual Program Area Standards (also known as content standards).
ALL education graduate students are expected to demonstrate that they have met standards in each of the following General Standards (these standards are also integrated into the undergraduate education program portfolios):
Instructional Uses of Technology (practice)In addition, standards have been developed for each program area including Instructional Technology.
Individuals with Special Needs (practice)
Diversity (practice)
Written Communication (practice)
Educational Research (theory)
Community Collaboration (relationship)
Content knowledge (theory and practice)
Leadership and Vision
Learning and Teaching
Productivity and Professional Practice
Support, Management, and Operation
Assessment and Evaluation
Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues
Graduate candidates are therefore expected to demonstrate proficiency in their program area in addition to the six Standards. For example, a candidate in Instructional Technology would include six separate entries in the General Standards portion of the portfolio, and entries for the four Program Area Standard sin Instructional Technology. However, it is possible that some entries may demonstrate proficiency in both a General Standard and a Program Area Standard. Each entry requires only a separate rationale. The same entry cannot be used to demonstrate competency in two different General Standards or two different Program Standards entries, but one entry may satisfy a General Standards entry and a Program Area Standard. Separate rationale statements are required for each entry to explain how the standard was satisfied. Entries in both the General Standards and in Instructional Technology Program Standards make reference to examples of the use of technology. To demonstrate competency in the use of technology, the student MUST have a working sample of the technology as part of the Portfolio.
Every effort has been made in the development of graduate professional portfolios to provide connections between programs and the goals of the School of Education. In summary, these connections include:
A conceptual framework that connects all aspects of the School of Education’s programs
A set of six graduate-level General Standards that connect to the conceptual framework and undergraduate portfolio requirements
A set of six graduate-level Program Area Standards that link to the conceptual framework and the goals of individual programs.
TaskStream: Your Electronic Portfolio
To aid in the assessment of our program and provide you with a venue for demonstrating your attainment of the standards and showcasing your work, the Graduate Studies in Education Department has adopted an electronic portfolio system that is being implemented in TaskStream. There is a one-time charge of $100.00 added to your first semester tuition for use of this system for four years. Once you have paid for your electronic portfolio, you will receive a password to log on to TaskStream.
You must submit work from selected Instructional Technoloy courses to TaskStream each semester for review. The artifacts (assignments) you submit from each course are assessed according to the course-specific rubric in TaskStream. The rubric will address the specific graduate standards aligned with each course’s content and expectations. You must demonstrate competency on each criteria, and may not be allowed to proceed in the program if you receive too many developing or unacceptable ratings.
The TaskStream assignment is a major course and program requirement. Failure to complete the entry can mean failure to meet course requirements. Therefore, if the entry is not completed by the end of each course, you will receive an F for that course.
In addition to the course-specific portfolio, your TaskStream account will also allow you to create a separate presentation portfolio that you can share with potential employers or others to whom you wish to display your work. What a great way to highlight your skills to future employers. Training opportunities for creating such a portfolio will be offered on campus and are frequently offered online through TaskStream. There are also online tutorials to assist you in downloading your artifacts into TaskStream. It is a very simple process; very much like attaching a document to an email. You are encouraged to save electronic or hard copies of all notable assignments or other work you complete for possible inclusion in a presentation portfolio.
IMPORTANT NOTE: TaskStream submissions are due when the instructor tells you, but they must be completed prior to final exam week. If assignments are not in before finals week, you will receive an F for the course.
The TaskStream website is https://www.taskstream.com/pub/ Once you are on TaskStream, you can obtain help through telephone or email at 1.800.311.5656 or help@taskstream.com.
