What is a digital portfolio?

A digital portfolio is a place to collect and display documents, presentations, works, and others presented in a digital format. It is also known as an electronic portfolio or an e-portfolio. Digital portfolios can be used to display an individual, group, or organizationā€™s work. It is a way to show oneā€™s skills and talents in a professional, tidy and appealing fashion. An exampleĀ of a digital portfolio person’s blog or journal, or a company’s or organization’s website. They use it to communicateĀ their values and show what they have to offer.Ā 

How can they be used in the classroom?

Digital portfolios can be an extremely useful tool in the classroom.Ā The teacher and or the students can share on the portfolio what they are doing in class. Digital portfolios have several different benefits in the classroom for both students and parents. It can help parents stay involved in their child’s education. Some parents had a horrible experience with school and are not comfortable with going to the school or having one on one communication with a teacher. Having a digital portfolio gives them the option to stay caught up with their child’s education and encourage them along the way. Digital portfolios offer students an alternative way to demonstrate their learning, they can share pictures, videos, writing, documents, and others. Another positive outcome of using digital portfolios in the classroom isĀ that it lasts longer than a paper portfolio. I made several portfolios throughout grade school that I would just discard at the end of the year, but as we all know the internet is forever. Students can refer to their learning at any time and look at their improvements, a very encouraging experience that allows for learning and growth.Ā 

Seesaw

This week in class we played around with Seesaw, exploring a few of the many posting options that Seesaw offers. We were able to post videos, pictures, and even drawings. Another cool feature it offers is a voice-over that you can apply to pictures or videos. I would use Seesaw in a classroom as it is very user-friendly. It was easy to navigate the different types of posts as it is quick to learn. The teacher must approve each post before it is shown, which is a great advantage for keeping the students on track and making sure everything is appropriate. Students could use Seesaw to show off their work to their parents and peers (depending on the post setting,) creating healthy communication and an opportunity for positive reinforcement. 

Seesaw – https://web.seesaw.me/