ePortfolio Reflection (EDLD 5303)

Prior to beginning the ADL program, the idea of an ePortfolio did not have value to me and didn't seem like something that necessarily aligned with my career. I was aware of it, but as a tenured teacher who was done interviewing for new jobs, it didn't seem like something that would be beneficial for me. Boy, was I wrong. Visiting past ADL students' ePortfolios was intimidating at first, seeing the sheer volume of content that they had displayed on their seemed like it would take me years to build up (and it will), but contributing to my ePortfolio consistently from week-to-week has naturally allowed me to accumulate enough information that is starting to paint a picture of who I am as an educator and learner.

I had never heard of Wix and was unfamiliar with how the layouts/formatting worked, but as we often discuss with our students, there are so many resources out there to learn from, so I dove in. Not only has my ePortfolio shown to be extremely meaningful for me as it gives me a place to share and display my voice, but it has become something I enjoy contributing to. It is interesting to see different ideas for creating ePortfolios and also to begin to think about how it can be implemented into the classroom. As a high school mathematics teacher, I see students often come into high school studying Geometry and in four quick years they are solving high level Calculus questions. An ePortfolio would be an awesome way to see the growth these students have made throughout their educational journey and beyond.'

My innovation plan is based around blended learning where students become the driving force behind their learning. My growth mindset can be seen throughout my ePortfolio as I take deeper dives into the environment I build for my students in my classroom, discuss multiple different units plans created in different ways (outcomes vs. competency based, and frequent blogs where I reflect on different components of my digital learning journey. The documentation of my blended learning implementation will all live on my ePortfolio and allow me to see the progress that I have made from day 1 to wherever my story goes. It will also provide me with a place to send the educational leaders in my organization so they can see the time/effort, thoughtfulness, and passion that I have with regard to this plan.

I look forward to continuing to build my ePortfolio as I know it will never be complete, even after the ADL program. The strides it has taken in just the last two months are substantial and I know the time that we have to collaborate with peers in this program and provide feedback for one another will only help more and more.

Below are the direct links to some of the pages on my ePortfolio:

• Innovation Plan

• Growth Mindset with 5313 Addendum

• Learning Communities

• Learning Manifesto