I just sat in on a presentation by Loanne Snavely and Ellysa Cahoy of the University Libraries on the topic of using blogs@psu as a platform for faculty e-portfolios. Happily I was available to answer some of technical questions the audience had, but more importantly Loanne and Ellysa opened my eyes to just how much utility the blogs@psu can have for faculty. I am really inspired to roll out some the new features that have been germinating for so long.
Some choice (to me, at least) ideas from the presentation:
- Portfolios can include reflection on teaching and research. The root of much reflection is transient, an insightful interaction with a student in class, for example. If these insights are not captured, they disappear. Think more traditional blog as a repository for this content.
- E-portfolios provides easy access to electronic and multimedia achievements.
- If you are using a web site as part of the promotion and tenure process, you want something more static than a typical blog - static front page, no comments. Items from the "more fluid reflections blog" can be selected to move to the portfolio site.
- permalink is a great feature - allows you to easily point someone to a specific item in the portfolio.
This all tells me that we are doing at least some things right with what we are providing with blogs@psu. It is a good feeling. A blog is not just a blog.
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