E-Portfolio Proposal

As we start to bring technology into our classrooms, we also start to diversify how we use technology in our professional lives as teachers.  E-portfolios create a different way that we can showcase our work for future employers.  The following is my e-portfolio proposal.

Why have you chosen to complete an e-portfolio?
I can use an e-portfolio to showcase my work to employers to help me get a job in a great school and it is also a more reasonable project considering the limitation of the amount of time that we are able to edit and use our projects.  I find that an e-portfolio will be useful now, where as a webquest will only be useful when I am teaching, but the site may be down by that time.

What professional uses does an e-portfolio have for you?
As mentioned above, it is a great way to showcase your work and accomplishments for future employers, but it can also be used as a collection of my "best" to share with colleagues.

What content do you plan to include?
A more detailed outline of what I exactly plan to include is available in the site map found in the PDF below, but I am going to include certificates/awards, resume (an online version that looks pretty), maybe a philosophy of education, sample lesson plans, and internship report.

What graphic design considerations have you taken into account for the look of your e-portfolio?I have included the sketch of a potential design for the website in the PDF found below.  I wanted the design to be clean, simple, a little dramatic (that's why I chose black) and I also want it to showcase my love for Saskatchewan and of plants, so where the blue border is will be different photos for each of the 4 sections (see site map).  This is the second website that I have designed, and if I can get the website to be close to the design I created in Paint I will be quite pleased.
 What concerns do you have about the process?  How do you plan to address these concerns?
I am concerned with not having it finished in time for interviews, but in that case it will serve the purpose of being a collection of work for colleagues to use/adapt.  I do plan on finishing this earlier rather than later so that I can use it.  I also have concerns about not being able to add to it later as it won't be much of a collection if it is only stuff that I used during internship.  I have concerns about finding space online to put this on and how I could do that.  I suppose to tackle this concern I will look for space that is free/cheap and ask about transfering it. Another issue that I have concerns is that I don't want personal information being easily accessed on the internet (as I once found another ed student's e-portfolio by accident).  I suppose I will just have to be critical about what information I have available and what information I get employers to contact me for.

Click the link below to view site design and map
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4920329/E-portfolio%20site%20design%20and%20map.pdf

Spring Break!

No I'm not planning on going on some crazy adventure in Mexico, but instead plan on some good Saskatchewan fun.  We are going ice fishing for the week, and hopefully getting in some snowmobiling as well.

At university, unfortunately, spring break isn't all that it's cracked up to be.  Teachers decide to give us homework, papers, and test all due after the break.  Have about 200 pages to read in my textbook - though I think I might enjoy it as I often gets boring after 2 hours of sitting in a boiling hot ice shack.  I think the best part of icefishing is eating popcorn and smokies cooked over the fire - catching a fish is just a bonus!

Free Breakfast

I enjoyed wonderful McDonalds breakfast this morning...for free!  I have to say that I am a big fan of McDonalds to start out with, but McDonalds for free is even better.  The biscuit was good, but I feel that it a rip-off of the Tim Horton's biscuit.  McDonalds already had a great thing with the McMuffin.  Now sure Tim Horton's tried to rip off the breakfast sandwich from McD's, but now McD's have just sunk to their level.

You know what is a great breakfast sandwich?....the Bacon and Egg Bagel at McDonalds....yum....that is a very very good sandwich.  Get it with extra sauce...so many calories but oh so awesome and sooo worth it.

Beautiful Day

Today is such a beautiful Februrary day.  It's hard to think that there could be such thing as a nice day in February.  February is known as being the coldest month in Saskatchewan.  It is the month of -40 and yet somehow the desparate hope for spring can be found in the minds of those walking to school or work all bundled up in five layers.  I believe that God made February so short so that we could keep pushing through.  

Today I'll just enjoy the wonderful sun and melting snow! :)

Learning to Blog

This isn't the first time that I've blogged, but it is the first time that I have ran my own blog.  I have previously blogged about children's activities (which was picked up by a google search of my name and is from 2007 - creepy) and about food/recipes as well.

I'm looking forward to blogging.  I hope that I remember do it on a regular basis. I'll try to keep this blog interesting and fun, but I apologize for ranting and boring antics about my day.

Thanks for reading!

Lexi