On-line Portfolio as an approach to Meet Grade Expectations (Choices into Action)

On-Line Portfolio as an approach to meet the grade expectations for Ontario’s Guidance and Career Education Program

The aim of Ontario’s Guidance and Career Education Program is to prepare students for their future careers and lives. More specific, this program is to help our future generations:

Relate what they learn in school to the community, understand and value education, recognize the learning opportunities available to them, make choices from among those opportunities, and adapt to changing circumstances. It will help them make transitions throughout their lives – from family to school, from school to school, from school to work, and from school to lifelong learning.  (Ministry of Education and Training, 1999, p.5)

            This program builds students’ knowledge and understanding in three areas: student development, interpersonal development, and career development. For each of these three areas grade expectations are outlined and differed for students in elementary, middle, and high schools (Ministry of Education and Training, 1999, p.8-10). Therefore, many approaches and resources are available for teachers, students, and their parents to meet grade expectations and successfully complete the program.

            One of the approaches that can be used in this program is creating an on-line portfolio. By teaching modern students how to create a proper on-line portfolio the following expectations will be met:

Student Development

-          setting goals and monitoring progress

-                   -  lifelong learning

Interpersonal Development

-                 -  social responsibility

Career Development

-             -  self-assessment

-             -  exploring and obtaining information about education, training, and careers

-              - awareness of opportunities

-              - education and career decisions

-              - employability

WHY On-Line Portfolio:

-           - We live in High Tech Era. The modern generation is very attracted to any on-line product. Therefore, creating on-line portfolios can generate in students the high level of interest to this activity.

-           - More and more employees require the job candidates to have their portfolios on-line. Therefore, knowing how to make a proper on-line portfolio will make students more valuable, appealing, and competent in the modern job market.

-            - Having students to start their on-line portfolios as early as in middle school and then revise them as often as needed will help students to self-assess themselves, monitor their progresses, and make changes when it’s necessary.  It also will allow them to stay up-to-date in their career and life preferences.

-           - Making an on-line portfolio needs from students knowledge and understanding of the rules of proper communication with others.  Therefore, this activity will teach students social responsibility and necessity of giving respect to others.

-           - On-line portfolio is the perfect way for exceptional students to show their strength, interests, and sell themselves to potential employees. For many exceptional students, especially those who use assistive technology, making portfolios by hand is an overwhelming and fearful task.  Giving them the opportunity to present themselves with the on-line portfolios enables such students to use their time wisely, feel confident about them, and expend their opportunities in finding a job. 

Resources:

Ministry of Education and Training. (1999). Choices Into Action. Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/curricul/secondary/choices/choicee.pdf

WhyHire.me Corporation. (2011). WhyHire.me. Retrieved from http://whyhire.me/

(2006-2012). Behance. Retrieved from http://www.behance.net/tour?gclid=COWskpXG0LACFQgUKgodtBxbMw