| Technology Applications Teacher Certification Portfolio Guidelines for completion of the Technology Applications Certification portfolio experience Department of Educational Technology, Education Service Center Region XI Students are to prepare and present a professional web-based portfolio in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Technology Applications Certification in the Technology Applications Teacher Certification program administered by the Educational Technology Department. Students should work on their portfolios throughout the time they are in the program. The student may be asked to present the portfolio in whole or in part at various times during the program and will present the portfolio for review and evaluation during the last term of coursework. The student is responsible for following these guidelines and for consulting
available web-based materials, including portfolio deadlines. Advice in
portfolio planning and development is available from course instructors, the
portfolio coordinator, and mentors. Students may examine completed
portfolios of recent program graduates/portfolio coordinator example by arrangement with the portfolio
coordinator. Portfolio Purpose The purpose of this portfolio is to demonstrate scope of the skills, knowledge and competencies developed in the program areas through course work and professional experience. This document and its presentation will allow the ESC XI Portfolio Review Committee to determine the student's eligibility for the Technology Applications Certification. The completed portfolio will also serve to demonstrate relevant competencies to employers and educational institutions. The Responsible Student During the year period in which a student participates in the TATC program they will have opportunity to progress towards mastery of the competencies. This means that the student will be able to recognize the competencies in all the education which they receive (in modules, learning practices, sources and training in coursework). They will be able to place special emphasis on particular aspects of the program depending on their learning needs (the skills and knowledge they still need to acquire in relation to their development towards mastery of the competencies). This enables the student to take responsibility themselves for their learning process. The TATC program wants to stimulate students to take charge of their own development and learning process. It is not only gaining credits which determines whether a student will make a good teacher or not. Credits are not marks with an absolute value. In the view of the program, credits are an instrument with which a diagnosis can be made. Portfolio Requirements I. Portfolio includes clearly labeled and captioned artifacts* which demonstrate competency in all areas designated for the program. TA TEKS Standards Table
II. Portfolio organization is meaningful, original, and constructed to facilitate review. III. Required documentation is complete and consistent. IV. Portfolio demonstrates thoughtful, in-depth reflection on processes and products. V. Portfolio includes all required materials, prepared and presented according to the written guidelines in the document Technology Applications Teacher Certification Portfolio Guidelines. VI. Portfolio is submitted to Review Committee in a timely and professional manner. VII. Portfolio is presented to reviewers in a timely and professional
manner. Building the Portfolio The portfolio is a living document which changes over time. The Required Portfolio Materials listed below describe what the final product must include; that is, the portfolio which is presented to mentors and reviewers who are the ESC XI Portfolio Review Committee members during the last term of coursework. Instructors of courses within the TATC program may choose to assign some segments of the portfolio as requirements for completion of a particular course. For example, within TATC 100 a student may be asked to write a professional goals statement and place it in their portfolio. At the point of submission of the final portfolio the student will revise this statement to reflect refined goals, but it will provide a strong starting point for their revision. The instructor of each TATC course will require the student to choose one or more artifacts produced within the course, write reflective captions for each artifact, and submit a copy of the captions to the instructor for review. The instructor will judge captions as acceptable or needs improvement based on 1) the accuracy of representation of the process/product, 2) the thoughtfulness of the reflection and 3) the adequacy of the writing for certification level work. If a caption is judged acceptable, the student may place the caption and artifact in his/her portfolio; if a caption is judged needs improvement, the student should re-work the caption using written feedback from the instructor prior to placing the caption and artifact in his/her portfolio. As you can see, the portfolio will contain different materials at different points in the course sequence. It is highly recommended that, whether required or not, the student choose at least one artifact for each course taken, caption it and place it in their portfolio. This gradual building of the portfolio will save the student much time and trouble at the end of coursework and enable them to show continual growth throughout the program. Required Portfolio Documentation (Materials for final product) I. Introduction: Description of the portfolio and its organization. II. Table of contents: Includes page numbers or other finding devices III. Professional Goals Statement: Narrative which specifies and details individual short- and long-term goals in the student's field of study (300-500 words). IV. Current resume V. Field Experience/Observation: Mentor interaction and observation documentation. VI. Captioned Artifacts* (10-15)
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VII. Designation of "Best Work": Of the 10-15 artifacts chosen for inclusion by the student, 1-2 artifacts should be identified by the student as representative of her/his best work. The rationale statement within the caption should clearly indicate justification for this designation. VIII. Reflective final paper: This paper should demonstrate reflection on the overall program of study, focusing on ties and links among topics and concepts within courses and professional experiences (including field experiences/observations). Each standard should be addressed with an explanation as to how the student thinks he/she have accomplished this standard. The student will not be assessed down for a low self-assessment. The program is looking for a realistic assessment of the Standards, where it needs to modify the program and offer more support throughout the student experience. Artifacts-After each reflection, identify the portfolio artifacts (examples of student work) or experiences they have that demonstrate that they have met this standard. Projection/Direction-The portfolio becomes a lifelong learning tool, when the student takes these reflections and set goals for future learning. For each standard, a statement is written about what the student still needs to learn in this area, setting some reasonable goals for themselves to achieve so that they can eventually achieve this standard. Particular
attention should be paid to the relationship of the program of study to the
specifics of the student's professional goals statement. Portfolio Review and Presentation Review of the physical portfolio and presentation of the portfolio by the student are both required for completion of the TATC capstone experience. A Portfolio Presentation session will be scheduled at approximately the endpoint of the program. All students who are planning to graduate will be required to attend this session and present their portfolios. TATC Mentor Review TATC Mentors may choose to review some or all of a student's portfolio during the sequence of courses. These will not be ‘pop’ inspections, but would be announced and for a specific reason, such as to check for congruence between a needs assessment and a program evaluation plan. For this reason the student should keep their portfolio up-to-date and ‘user-ready’. The student may also ask a TATC instructor to look at some or all of their portfolio at any time for the purposes of formative evaluation. Portfolio Thesis Course Review Students will submit the physical portfolio to the Portfolio Instructor and class for review during the Portfolio Thesis Course and before the scheduled presentation. During this review period, the Portfolio Instructor and at least two other student members (including a self-evaluation) will evaluate the portfolio according to the Portfolio Criteria Checklist. In order to merit a positive evaluation, the physical portfolio must meet or exceed minimum standards in the first 5 areas (I-V) described above in this document under Portfolio Requirements. Minimum standards are met if the portfolio conforms to the Guidelines in the judgment of at least two student reviewers and/or the portfolio instructor. Each reviewer will examine the portfolio independently, and make individual judgments. Reviewers are asked to make a judgment indicating whether the portfolio meets or exceeds minimum standards. Reviewers are asked to write positive and negative comments and make recommendations for changes and revisions required to bring the portfolio up to the minimum standards. If any reviewer finds the portfolio to be Unsatisfactory, the student should address the inadequate sections prior to submitting to the portfolio review committee. Comprehensive Review At the end of TATC coursework the student will submit their portfolio to the ESC XI Portfolio Review Committee. At least two committee members will evaluate the portfolio to see that it meets minimum standards set in the Portfolio Criteria Checklist . The evaluators will assign a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory review to the portfolio based on the Portfolio Requirements as outlined in this document. In order to merit a positive evaluation, the physical portfolio must meet or exceed minimum standards in each of the VII areas (I-VII) described above in this document under Portfolio Requirements. Minimum standards are met if the portfolio conforms to the Guidelines in the consensus judgment reached by the evaluators. Each evaluator will examine the portfolio independently, and make individual judgments. Evaluators are asked to make a judgment indicating whether the portfolio meets or exceeds minimum standards. Evaluators are asked to write positive and negative comments and make recommendations for changes and revisions required to bring the portfolio up to the minimum standards. If any one evaluator finds the portfolio to be Unsatisfactory, disagreements in judgment between/among committee evaluators will be discussed and consensus judgment reached, with the consultation of an additional evaluator if necessary. If Satisfactory is assigned by the evaluators, the Portfolio Criteria Checklist will be signed Satisfactory, and placed in the student’s folder. If the evaluators find the portfolio to be Unsatisfactory, the Portfolio Criteria Checklist will be signed Unsatisfactory and placed in the student’s folder. If the evaluators find the portfolio to be Unsatisfactory, the student must address the inadequate sections to the review committee's satisfaction within 5 days proceeding the portfolio presentation and prior to being recommended for certification. If standards are met, the Portfolio Coordinator will initial a Portfolio Criteria Checklist in the portfolio to indicate fulfillment of the areas I-VII and a positive judgment on the physical portfolio. If the physical portfolio does not meet minimum standards in each of the seven areas (I-VII), the Portfolio Criteria Checklist will so indicate. A list of required additions/changes will be compiled by the Portfolio Coordinator and due date for completion will be given to the student. An incomplete portfolio may be used for the portfolio presentation if necessary. Portfolio Presentation The Portfolio Presentation should be prepared as a summary of the product and the process rather than a page-by-page description of the portfolio. During the Portfolio Presentation session each student will briefly (20-30 minutes) present his/her portfolio to the assembled group of peers, review committee members, and any other guests who are invited by the students or instructors. Students are expected to be in attendance for all presentations during the session. Following the Portfolio Presentation, the floor will be opened for questions from instructors, peers or other guests. The tone of the Portfolio Presentation session will be supportive rather than critical. This session is not a defense of the portfolio, rather, it is a culminating "performance" highlighting the student's program experience. Following all of the Portfolio Presentations, attending committee members will meet briefly to judge each student's fulfillment of the area III Portfolio Requirement (Professional Presentation). It is expected that all students will meet or exceed this standard. Evaluators will initial the Portfolio Criteria Checklist in each student's portfolio to indicate fulfillment of area III requirement. By the given due date, the student will resubmit the physical portfolio, if necessary for final review by the Portfolio Review Committee. If the additions/changes to the physical portfolio are not adequately completed by the due date indicated, the student has not fulfilled the comprehensive review requirement for the TATC during that term. He/she must resubmit the physical portfolio, and present the portfolio again at the end of a later term. If the additional/changes have been completed to the satisfaction of the Portfolio Review Committee, a Portfolio Criteria Checklist that is dated and signed Satisfactory will be placed in the folder indicating successful completion of the capstone requirement. Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, the department requires students to leave their portfolio accessible to the Portfolio Coordinator for 2-3 months allowing current program students to examine and review. The Portfolio Coordinator may also request the student to supply copies of exemplary work for the purpose of informing current students. This work will be used as documentary record only, and may not be reproduced without the consent of the original author. Continued Use Following the Portfolio Presentation Review of the portfolio, students may wish to use the portfolio as continued evidence of their accomplishments to present employers, prospective employers, granting authorities and scholarship and awards committees. Check Yourself for Success The student's portfolio should be a unique document, one which represents them
as well as their skills, knowledge, and experience. The following checklist
includes some general characteristics of good portfolios which may help the student to
plan and evaluate their own document. Look at your artifacts, captions and rationales... ____Knowledge of theory, research and practice are represented. ____Competence in Digital Graphics/Animation, Web Authoring, Multimedia, Desktop Publishing, and Video Technology is demonstrated (9-12 TA Standards). ____Competence in technology proficiency is demonstrated (Teacher Proficiency TA Standards). ____Reflections show growth, insight, and/or a widening of perspectives. ____Motivation for professional practice and continued growth is demonstrated. ____Flexibility in approaches to problems and issues is demonstrated. ____Respect and concern for other people is demonstrated. Look at your portfolio format and style... ____Logical organization, clearly explained in the introduction, is used throughout. ____Distinctive designs are used to separate sections of portfolio. ____Products and materials are clearly labeled. ____Computer or media materials include instructions/requirements for use if necessary. ____All written materials are typed or word-processed unless they are scanned handwritten samples ____Grammar/ spelling are absolutely correct and writing style follows accepted professional standards. ____An overall professional appearance is maintained. Look at your Portfolio Presentation... ____Presentation is a summary of the product and the process. ____Presentation may, for example:
____Presentation includes appropriate audience aids (summary handouts and
visual supports).
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Q. Is a portfolio a scrapbook? A. No, it's not. It's also not just a file of course projects and assignments. It is an organized documentation of your professional growth and achieved competence. It shows that you have goals and it shows your progress toward those goals. The items you choose to include, your explanation of the importance or relevance of each item, your choice of organization of your portfolio and your attention to professional standards of formatting and style are all very important elements of your portfolio. Q. Does everything have to be web-based? A. Definitely yes! Since one of our courses of study is web development and we are all about the study of technology it is imperative that we model that technology not only as a skill but as a communication device. You could/should also include a copy of the program on disk with instructions/requirements for viewing. Q. How is the portfolio supposed to be arranged? A. It's supposed to be arranged in a way that 1) makes sense to you, and 2) is easy to review. There is no one way to arrange a portfolio. Some organizational strategies include area of competence, type of material, chronology, "best first", individual/groupwork, coursework connection, etc. Be creative and flexible in devising your portfolio organization but clear in what and how you want it to be evaluated in this portfolio. The evaluators are not mind readers nor magicians that can pull rabbits out of hats without some guidance. Q. Should something from every course be included? A. It probably won't come out like that. Think about demonstrating broad competencies rather than showing/telling what you did in individual classes may be activities that the instructor of a course will require in your portfolio. Q. Is it possible to "flunk" portfolio? A. Yes. But you shouldn't!. Your work in your classes and professional experiences has been judged to be sufficient for passing, right? Physical representations of that work, plus the skills you've developed in doing the work is the raw material from which the portfolio is made. Shape the raw material according to the Portfolio Guidelines, with care and guidance from instructors and mentors, and you'll be fine. You'll also be given a chance to add or revise your portfolio if you don't meet minimum standards. Q. Where can I find out more about doing the portfolio? A. There will be several ways in which you can find out more about doing the portfolio. In the Vision IT Summer Institute the portfolio will be started. All of the courses will address the portfolio development throughout the program. The first required course TATC 100 will look at the requirements closer and the TATC 106 course will help in the actual finalizing of the portfolio and encompass peer-review before the comprehensive review. You may also consult Connie Swiderski or other department members for advice. Q. Tell me again. What is an artifact? A. Artifacts are physical evidence of your skills, knowledge and experience. In other words, they include your papers, reports, documentation of presentations, projects, etc. and should represent the scope of your experiences. They can be in any easily accessible media. Artifacts can be created to represent "inaccessible" work such as photos of a media center you organized, or a comprehensive performance review of your mentor interactively. You can use artifacts which represent work you've done in a group as well as work you've done individually; just make sure to label it as such in your caption. Q. OK. Now remind me, what is a caption? A. A caption is a standardized attachment to an artifact. Standardized means that every caption has all the parts designated in the Portfolio Guidelines. Attachment means that each caption is a separate document with (actually preceding) its corresponding artifact. The caption allows the reviewer to immediately see which of your competencies each artifact demonstrates (descriptors and standards reference table). The caption also sets up the context in which the artifact was produced (title, date, course). The rationale is the most important part of the caption because this allows you to explain, in your own words, why this artifact is important and to reflect on what you learned from producing it. Q. I think I understand "artifacts" and "captions". Now, what are "descriptors"? A. Descriptors are simply short words which alert the reviewer to the "main idea" of a particular artifact. For instance, you may choose as an artifact a project in which you devised a budget for a computer lab. On first line of the caption for that artifact you might devise the descriptors, MANAGEMENT, BUDGETING, SPREADSHEET USE. These descriptors tell the reviewer that this artifact demonstrates your competencies in these areas. Make sure you use the major descriptors designated as competencies for your program area, and devise others which you think are appropriate. Q. What are some artifacts I could include? A. Glad you asked! Some of the MANY possibilities include observation logs, article critiques, assessments, awards, case studies, community resources documents, computer programs, curriculum plans, essays, evaluations, individualized plans, journals, lesson plans, letters, management and organization strategies, media competencies, meetings/workshops log, peer critiques, pictures and photographs, position papers, professional development plan, professional readings list, projects, research papers, rules and procedures descriptions, technical documentation, schedules, self-assessment instruments, simulated experiences, teacher-made materials, volunteer experience descriptions, and work experience descriptions. Q. What is the Technology Application 9-12 and Technology Application Teacher Proficiency areas. What are these "ten standards in which I'm supposed to be competent? Where did they come from? A. SBEC (State Board of Educator Certification), the organization in charge of Teacher Certification, has defined a framework of ten standards, five of which are addressed toward TA standards 9-12 courses and five which address the Teacher Proficiency of new teachers (design, development, utilization, management and evaluation) and which describe much of the work which is done in the TATC program. Here are a few examples. Your major project in one class was in designing a web site (Web Authoring standard). But within that project, you also had to learn skills and demonstrate competency in formative evaluation techniques (standard). If you constructed and presented a Web-based presentation to teach a lesson in another class, you showed skill in the standards. A description of your participation in a group project might show skill in the standard. These are just a few examples. Examine the work you are doing/have done in light of this framework. Q. Where do I find out more about the ten standards of technology applications? A. The "Standards Document" is available for your use on the SBEC website. It is a table of information. You may also want to visit our Standards Reference Table to see what Standards and TA TEKS are addressed in each course that comprises the program. EXAMPLE OF A CAPTION - This caption would precede an artifact consisting of the survey the student constructed. This is a brief example; please examine "real" portfolios for more complete and varied examples.
Rationale: One of the assignments in TATC 100 required me to present information from a website, devise an assignment which would require the class to apply that information, and then evaluate the effectiveness of my teaching and my assignment.
Reviewers Comments: A good example of needing to do the reading before trying to attempt the assignment. I had not read the materials and therefore had to go and do the background reading before answering your survey. I really liked the questions that you posed on your survey. They showed a level of questioning that reached beyond the knowledge base level into the synthesize level of blooms. I had some difficulty understanding your terminology that you used though. It is from a perspective that I am not familiar. My answers were probably incomplete or totally incorrect based on my lack of understanding for what you where asking.
Review Name: Pam Gidney Title: TATC student Date Reviewed: Fall, 1998 |