YOU UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

The product of a college education is a person who is ready to contribute to the world. Therefore, during your time in college you are constructing a product: the fully functional and adult you. Ideally this product is to be used for the betterment of your society and will serve a specific function (profession/Job/career) in society.

 

Self awareness-is a big part of becoming an adult. To gain self awareness you must learn to reflect. You must reflect on choices you have made, your failures and your successes to become a fully realized adult. Hence a major component of the ePortfolio is reflection on your learning. When you practice the skills needed to explain your learning, you are practicing the same skills you will need later in your college career as you approach graduation. At that time you will need to communicate what you learned and more importantly the significance of what you've learned to potential employers. It's possible you will need to have these skills earlier in order to secure a competitive internship. Honing these skills can truly set you apart in a sea of job candidates. 

 

It is well known that future employers can/will google you and find your facebook page and any other digital footprints you have made. Given that this is the case isn’t it a better idea to have an online presence that you control and edit? In this way you present a more nuanced and intellectual/professional presence as opposed to the “accidental portfolio” made up of Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

 

We will begin with a Frinq portfolio as a central artifact and component of this class. You will be engaged in many different activities, reading assignments, written assignments, group projects etc. Your portfolio is the place where you will document this journey, the journey of your Freshman year and the beginning of the college educated, work-place ready, adult you. Throughout this process you will be asked to reflect, perhaps in blog posts, or reading responses, culminating in a term reflection on your progress as a student and learner. You will also be asked to create a coherent body of work otherwise known as a learning/ePortfolio for lack of a better term. For more on this process see our support site. 

 

If you are entering PSU as a sophomore you may also encounter the ePortfolio in your SINQ courses. These ePortfolios will look a bit different since they are built term by term in different courses. Unlike FRINQ courses there is no common assignment. Each instructor may have differing expectations. Capstones likewise have begun incorporting ePortfolio assignments. 

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