QUESTIONS 1-10
1.What are the purposes of portfolios
in general?
6.When should I begin creating a
portfolio?
2. What elements does a teaching
portfolio usually contain?
7. What are the usual steps in creating
an online portfolio?
3. How much information should be in
a portfolio?
8. How do I put portfolio elements
online?
4. What should NOT go in a portfolio?
9. What online tools/templates are
helpful for creating online portfolios?
5. What are the benefits of having a
portfolio online?
10. How long does it take to create an
online teaching portfolio?
QUESTIONS 11-20
11. What makes a portfolio look
unified, coherent, and professional?
16. What are common pitfalls in
creating online portfolios?
12. How can I keep my online portfolio
up to date?
17. What style of language is
appropriate in an online portfolio?
13. What are possible ways for
potential employers to view the
materials in my online portfolio?
18. Do I need to buy a domain name?
14. What can I do to protect private
information in my online portfolio?
15. Can I make an online portfolio
private?
19. Where can I find examples of
online portfolios?
20. Where can I learn more about
creating online portfolios?
1. What are the purposes of
portfolios in general?
Seek out / present yourself to
potential employers
Demonstrate background and
qualifications
Highlight education,
experience, accomplishments,
and best work
Paul Cave
Lydia Ripplinger
Daniel Smith
Katelyn Gentry
Professional development
2. What elements does a teaching
portfolio usually contain?
Philosophy Statement
Evaluations
Resume / CV
Observations
Lesson Plans
Professional conduct plan
Activities
Statement of purpose / Cover letter
Materials
Assessments
References
Education
Teaching videos
Resources
Syllabi
3. How much information should be
in a portfolio?
A portfolio shows a selection, not a
complete collection
Develop a framework
Exhibit your best work
List the best first
If needed you can make different
portfolios for different purposes
4. What should NOT go in a
portfolio?
Personal information
Social security number
Address
Times you are at home
Age
Life story
Marital status
Phone number
Embarrassing personal photos
Irrelevant information
5. What are the benefits of having a
portfolio online?
Digital Format:
Videos
International nature of TESOL
Demonstrates technological
ability
Instantly available
Makes you stand out
Communicates easily
Reach out to employers
Daniel Smith
Easy access for hiring
committees
6. When should I begin creating a
portfolio?
The sooner the better
Build a framework now - Fill it
in as you go
Collect materials while
teaching
Gather resources from
colleagues
Continually collect!
7. What are the usual steps in
creating an online portfolio?
1. Plan your overall goal /
purpose
2. Gather materials
3. Select your best work
4. Digitize materials
5. Select a hosting site
6. Compile work online
8. How do I put portfolio elements
online?
Digitize all portfolio elements
Select a hosting site (see
question 9)
Follow given templates – let’s
face it, most of us do TESOL
not technology!
Many sites have helpful
tutorials
9. What online tools/templates are
helpful for creating online
portfolios?
Google Sites
Iweb
Wordpress
GoDaddy
Blogspot
Microsoft Office (Web Pages)
Wix
Youtube
Weebly
Powerpoint
10. How long does it take to create
an online teaching portfolio?
It depends on your
technological proficiency
It depends on how much
material you have
Following templates and using
tutorials will speed up the
process
Having your materials
compiled will save time
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
from someone who knows the
process
11. What makes a portfolio look
unified, coherent, and professional?
Decide on a style or format
early and then stick to it
Use the same format for all
your materials
Follow your hosting site’s
professionally-created
templates
12. How can I keep my online
portfolio up to date?
Remember your login
information – write it down
Embed Google Documents in
your portfolio
Visit your online portfolio
frequently
Keep files in formats that are
easy to download / upload
Choose a hosting site that is
easy for you to work with
13. What are possible ways for
potential employers to view the
materials in my online portfolio?
Put a link to your online portfolio
in your resume
Materials can be viewed in the
following ways:
Copy and paste the file for
immediate view
Download a PDF or Doc file
Link to Google Docs
14. What can I do to protect private
information in my online portfolio?
Html email form
Contact information built as an
image
Text built as an image
Services.nexodyne.com
Safemail.justlikeed.net
Google Voice
Link to references’ website
15. Can I make my online portfolio
private?
Yes if you use
Google sites
a blog
Dropbox
Simply send the link to those
you want to be able to view the
portfolio
16. What are common pitfalls in
creating online portfolios?
Poor formatting (use the
templates)
Too many typefaces (limit
yourself to one or two)
Too many pages
Too casual (be professional)
Too busy
Glamour shots
Bad typeface selection
Personal information
Culturally inappropriate
information
17. What style of language is
appropriate in an online portfolio?
Professional language
Grammatically correct language
Correct spelling
Academic language
Avoid slang and nonprofessional abbreviations – this
is not a text or Facebook
18. Do I need to buy a domain
name?
No but you can if you want (ie
GoDaddy – just a few dollars per
year)
The benefit of a domain name is
it is short and easy to remember
There are many simple and free
web hosting sites
19. Where can I find examples of
online portfolios?
Ben McMurry’s Blog
BYU student portfolios
Teacher Tap
Google it!
20. Where can I learn more about
creating online portfolios?
Ben McMurry’s Blog
Ben McMurry’s Tutorials