Post sponsored by Wakelet
Digital portfolios are a great way for students to demonstrate their learning, achievements, and growth in education. They can also help students keep track of their work even after they finish a class.
But how can teachers and students create and manage digital portfolios easily and effectively?
Answer: Wakelet (wakelet.com)
What is Wakelet?
Wakelet is a powerful content curation platform that allows users to save, organize, and share digital content from across the web. It enables the creation of visually engaging collections of articles, videos, images, and more, making it an ideal tool for building digital portfolios. Lots of teachers and students are already using to create and share collections. They're kind of like Pinterest boards for the classroom. You can add text, images, links, videos, and more to them.
- Wakelet lets you create a collection with text, links, images, PDF files, tweets and more.
- Add as many of any type of item as you’d like — a collection of all links, a collection with text and images, a collection with all types of items, etc.
- Teachers can create collections for students. Students can create collections. Teachers and students can add to collections collaboratively.
Why use student portfolios to showcase student achievement?
A student portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas. It provides an overall view of a student's learning journey and can include a variety of artifacts such as essays, projects, artwork, and multimedia presentations.
In a post on the Wakelet blog Tisha Poncio shares why student portfolios offer several benefits for students.
- Learner agency and ownership: Students can choose the content and design of their portfolios, empowering them to showcase their unique voice and experiences.
- Reflection: Portfolios encourage students to reflect on their work, fostering a habit of self-assessment and personal progress evaluation.
- Curation: Wakelet allows students to curate various types of content, such as writings, designs, and videos, providing a comprehensive showcase of their skills and accomplishments.
- Collaboration: Students can engage in peer editing and meaningful feedback exchange, promoting a culture of trust and collaboration in the classroom.
- Real-world application: Portfolios prepare students for the real world by allowing them to curate their talents and expertise for a global audience, demonstrating authentic online presence.
What could a student include in their portfolio? Here are some ideas.
- A collection of essays demonstrating a student's writing progression over the school year.
- An art portfolio showcasing a student's creative development through various pieces of artwork.
- A multimedia presentation highlighting a student's research project on a historical event.
- A collection of work demonstrating their ability for a job or volunteer position.
How to use Wakelet as a digital student portfolio
Using Wakelet for student portfolios is easy. Teachers can guide students in creating their own Wakelet profiles or accounts to curate their work. Students can organize their portfolios into sections and collections, making it easy to navigate and present their achievements effectively.
Check out the example student portfolios below.
5 ways to use Wakelet student portfolios in the classroom
- Showcasing Student Work: Students can use portfolios to exhibit their best assignments, projects, and creative pieces.
- Goal Setting and Reflection: Portfolios can be used for setting learning goals and reflecting on progress throughout the academic year.
- Digital Citizenship Lessons: Integrate digital citizenship lessons by guiding students on responsible content curation and online presence. Creating this type of portfolio can show students how important it is to keep a positive online footprint as they look forward to the job market.
- Subject-Specific Portfolios: Portfolios can be tailored to specific subjects, allowing students to curate work related to a particular area of study.
- Parent and Community Engagement: Students can share their portfolios with parents and the community to showcase their learning journey and achievements.
How to get started with Wakelet student portfolios
Students and teachers can create their own free Wakelet accounts. But schools don't have easy control of assignments and collaboration.
But if you upgrade your plan, you'll be able to manage your classes and assignments -- and even let students take their portfolios with them after they graduate. (Because if they can't, they're missing out on potential career-changing impact.)
Upgrading your school/district Wakelet plan is easy. Here's how:
- Email Ryan McGinnis (ryan@wakelet.com)
- Tell him you'd like information about a student portfolio pilot.
- Ask for the "Ditch That Textbook" special for a deal!
