I have found that online student portfolios are an effective tool in motivational learning.  In my graphic design class in 2006, my students’ final project was to create an online portfolio using a simple and free webpage creator, GoogleSites. This project was foreign to all of them but after I walked them through how to make a site, they ran wild with their ideas. My students were overachievers and many went above and beyond the requirements because they liked online assignments and experimenting outside the box. In the end, some of them used them as portfolios to get into well-known art schools and colleges. Feel free to check out Vishal’s Design portfolio.

The same motivational concepts can by applied to myself. Last year I started building my online teacher portfolio in hopes to advertise for a job. After I built my teacher portfolio, I was surprised at all of the work that I had created in my past teaching experiences. The portfolio was a good overview of what I had accomplished and making the portfolio gave me motivation to continue and add quality work to it. I also wanted to make it extra nice for I knew that employers, coworkers, friends, and family would possibly be viewing. You can check out my portforlio work and a PDF newsletter on educational portfolios by NACCTEP.