"A fuerza, ni los zapatos entran," my grandmother would say when I was a little girl. It's roughly translated to mean, "with force, not even your shoes will go on." This is how I felt prior to jumping into my eportfolio. I didn't get it. I didn't understand it. I was being forced to do
something that just didn't seem to fit my foot, so to speak.
The advice to just get started (Learners Mindset, 2020) could not be more on track. I remember sending my small group a message saying I'd finally signed up for a wix site. It's funny to me, now, to think that was such a milestone. The task truly felt so daunting, though, and my group was great, replying with congratulations and way to go messages!
If someone is just starting out and like me, frantically Googleing "eportfolio" during your first class to figure out what on earth your professor is talking about...you are not alone. You can do this and you might even enjoy the journey. Beyond your (my?) initial feelings, it will be a lot more fun to share with your students and encourage your colleagues to explore eportfolios. In a recent job interview, the first question was, "Tell us some things about yourself that we wouldn't know looking at your resume." At the time, my eportfolio was just weeks old and long way from being ready for prime time. Today, though, I'm finding that question to be a bit of North Star. What will someone learn about me, my interests and passions, education and mindset if they were to see my eportfolio?
As much as I've worked on it, revised posts, changed images, looked up countless How-to videos on Youtube...it still feels like it's at the beginning stages, but I can honestly say I'm proud of what my eportfolio is at this point and I know we've all come a long way in such a short time. No longer do I feel that I'm being forced to do something uncomfortable, I'm excited for the challenge and looking forward to learning more.
Learners Mindset. (2020, May 25). LMD EP30 ePortfolio Why [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx304CW-gKU
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