The E-portfolio: Responses from Early Career Special Educators Bernadette Laumann, PhD, Eastern Illinois University

Johnell Bentz, PhD, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Michelle Bonati, Doctoral Student, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Andrea Ruppar, PhD, University of Wisconsin Madison

TED Conference November 8, 2012

Agenda

IntroductionsLiterature ReviewE-portfolios: University of IllinoisResearch QuestionsMethodsPilot StudyResultsImplications for PracticeFuture Research

Electronic Portfolios (EP) During Teacher Education & Post Graduation: Literature Review

Recent studies have investigated teacher candidates’ perceptions about portfolios and teacher education faculty members’ perceptions about the use of portfolios (Rosenstein, 2007; Strudler & Wetzel, 2005, 2008; Wetzel & Strudler, 2005, 2006).

Teacher candidates described the following advantages of creating EPs: a) learning through reflections, b) organization for documents, c) increased technology skills, d) a fuller understanding of teaching standards, e) preparation for job interviews (Wetzel & Strudler, 2006).

According to Wetzel & Strudler (2006) the use of portfolios by teacher candidates after graduation has not been addressed in the literature.

EP Process at UIUC Dept. of Special Education

Teacher candidates create own Philosophy of Teaching (using iMovie); undergraduates enroll in Tech course during sophomore year.

Each semester add and update EP with Integrated Reflections on IL Common Core and LBS-1 Standards; include artifacts, work samples, videos, as examples of meeting the standards

Update EP across each phase of the program and meet with EP coordinator

Student presents EP to coordinator and academic advisor in an exit meeting at end of student teaching semester

Research Questions1. How have graduates of the teacher education program used their EP during

the job search process?

2. Do beginning special educators continue to expand components of their EP as they progress from initial to standard teacher certification?

3. Which aspects of the EP development process do beginning special educators find of value?

4. How have beginning special educators used the skills that they learned through the EP process in their teaching practices with students with disabilities and with colleagues?

5. How have beginning special education teachers used the technology skills that they learned through the EP development process in their work with colleagues and administrators?

MethodsPilot Survey

FOIA request to receive a list of all initially certified special education teachers 2009-2010. (n = 1,850)

1st round pilot survey given to UIUC graduates from 2010 cohort. (n = 22; 68% return rate)

2nd round pilot survey given to a random 10% selected from the ISBE list. A survey invitation was sent to all of the teachers for whom a school email could be found. (n = 123; 13% return rate)

EP Use During Job Search (Pilot Results: UIUC Grads)When interviewing for teaching positions, did you have an opportunity to speak to

interviewers (e.g., administrators and/or personnel directors) about your EP ?

“I let them know that I had an electronic portfolio, told them what they could find if they looked at it and put the web address on my resume.”

“When asked questions about my philosophy of teaching I reference the video I created and noted the link to my e-portfolio at the bottom of my resume.”

“ In two years, I have been on at least 20 interviews for jobs. I spoke about my portfolio on a few occasions, but I had to mention the topic of my portfolio (it was not requested by any interview panel).”

EP Use During Job Search (Pilot Results: UIUC Grads)

If you did NOT refer to any components of your portfolio during your job search, please briefly describe your reasons.

Sample responses from Pilot Participants:“It was not requested as a piece of information wanted/needed to

obtain the position.”“The amount of time was limited.”“My interviews seemed to be more about networking, who I knew

or what experiences I had at certain schools, than discussion of specific skills.”

EP Use During Initial Years of Teaching (Pilot Results: UIUC Grads)

Since completing your EP have you had the necessity to revise any aspects of it?

Have any aspects of creating a portfolio during your teacher education program prepared you to design and execute your professional growth plan as you move from initial to standard certification?

Pilot Participants’ Reflections on Creating an EP (UIUC Graduates)

“The process of creating an EP during my teacher education program allowed me to become more familiar with web publishing programs such as iWeb.”

“ I learned how to use iMovie for when I did my Teaching Philosophy assignment. I have used iMovie to create clips shown in class.”

“I think that it was good exposure to technology, but the EP was extremely time consuming for not even being used at interviews.”

“I have thought very little about my portfolio since graduation.”

“ I felt creating the portfolio was a great experience and helped me reflect on the work I completed during my undergraduate coursework. I also thoroughly enjoyed creating my philosophy of teaching and learning video. The skills needed to complete those tasks have helped to make me more comfortable with technology and encouraged me to integrate technology into many of my teaching lessons.”

Pilot Participants (UIUC Grads) Use of Technology in Working with Students and Colleagues

With Students:Word Processing (14)Presentation software (12)Internet media (11)Smart Board (9)Text to Speech (6)Video software (6)Apps (6)Ipads (3)Social Media (2)Wiki (1)Podcasts (1)

With Colleagues:Demonstrate how to use Smart

BoardDemonstrate Text to Speech

softwareServe on Bldg. Tech CommitteeUse Video in Role on PBIS

CommitteeAssist with making web sitesLead professional development

on tech training

Methods

Study SurveySample: Used Survey Monkey to send survey to all remaining special education teachers on the list with an available email address and who were not part of the pilot.

(n = 568; 24% return rate)

Survey format: 21 close ended questions and 7 open ended questions.

Participant Demographics

Age of participants• 22-25 yrs. = 17 % • 26-30 yrs. = 51%• 31 -35 yrs. = 14%• 36 yrs. or older = 22%

Ethnicity• European American = 86% • African American = 5%• (Mixed, Latino, Asian, and Native American) = 9%

Degree attainment• Bachelor’s degree = 46%• Master’s degree = 54%

Attended 41 different universities and colleges54% of participants completed an electronic portfolio as part of their teacher preparation program

Participant DemographicsAll participants held a Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS1) certification• 22% also held an elementary education certification

Geographic Locations (Work Settings)• Large Urban = 3%• Suburban = 65%• Small Urban = 12%• Rural = 20%

Grade Levels Currently Teaching• PreK – K (n = 7)• Elementary (n = 36)• Middle School or Junior High (n =43)• High School (n = 52)• Post High School (n = 7)

• Case Manager for Students with Disabilities = 95%

• 2-4 years teaching special education = 97%

Numbers of Study Participants Who Selected the Primary Disabilities of Their Students

RQ 1:How have graduates of the teacher education program used their EP during the job search process?

Did you show your EP in the interview?

Reasons for NOT using EP in interview1. There was not enough time during the

interviews or the opportunity was not given.2. Interviewers did not have time to review it3. I brought my portfolio to every job interview,

but they never seemed interested in looking at it.

4. I did not have an electronic portfolio. I had a traditional portfolio that was used.

RQ2: Do beginning special educators continue to expand components of their EP as they progress from initial to standard teacher certification?

Which aspects of portfolio have been expanded or modified? (n=18)

Designing and Executing a Professional Growth Plan

Where do you store your documentation for moving from initial to standard certification?

Google Docs (10%)ISBE/ECS (electronic system through IL State Board of Ed) (10% +)Documents (9%)Dropbox (7%)

RQ 4: How have beginning special educators used the skills that they learned through the EP process in their teaching practices with students with disabilities and with colleagues?

Developing an EP has had little impact on teaching practiceThe EP gave me technology practice I didn’t have previously, eg. scanning and downloading.The technology I learned helps me create EPs for my high school students

Sharing Technology SkillsIn your role as a special educator have you shared your knowledge/skills in the use of technology with your colleagues? • Yes = 83%• No = 17%

General technology resourceShared created resources for technologyTaught experienced teachers new technologyTaught others assistive technologyTaught general educators to incorporate technology for differentiationTeam-based reciprocal technology knowledge/skills

Which aspects of the EP development process do beginning special educators find of value?

Overall, teachers did not value the portfolio development processSome strongly disliked it: “The portfolio was a complete waste of my time.”

As a professional:Organization

“It was good to organize ideas and helped me prepare for questioning during interviews.”

Reflection“The ability to self reflect is critical to your ability to create practical and meaningful goals for yourself. I was able to learn that through the development of the eport.”

Philosophy“I realized what I want to teach my students and how I want to teach them.”

Teaching students how to create a portfolio:“I work with older high schoolers and this experience is helping me to help them create their own electronic portfolio and student led IEP's.”

Implications for Teacher EducatorsEarly career special educators did not use their portfolios to obtain jobs or as a foundation for documenting their progress from initial to standard teacher certification.

Teacher educators examine time and energy teacher candidates put into portfolios and determine the types of documentation most salient for developing knowledge and skills beginning teacher educators need in their future career (e.g., how to use various types of technology to create lessons/materials for students)

Teacher educators should guide teachers in creating portfolios that will be useful throughout their early careers, and should be realistic about the potential utility of a portfolio during an interview.

Teacher educators need to learn about and address the connections between Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) and portfolio development.

Future ResearchWhat (if anything) would make the portfolio more useful during the job search process?

What are the connections between portfolio development and the edTPA?

A qualitative study employing participant interviews and document reviews that examines the use of an EP to document moving from initial to standard teacher certification.

Comparison of technology use with students and colleagues between those special educators who complete an EP and those who complete a paper portfolio

ReferencesRosenstein, A. (2007). Faculty and pre-service teachers' perceptions and beliefs about portfolio assessment use in special education pre-service teacher preparation programs. (Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign). , 212. . (3270011).Strudler, N. & Wetzel, K. (2008). Costs and benefits of electronic portfolios: Faculty perspectives. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 24(4), 135-142.Strudler, N. & Wetzel, K. (2005). The diffusion of electronic portfolios in teacher education: Issues of initiation and implementation. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37(4), 411–433.Wetzel, K. & Strudler, N. (2006). Costs and benefits of electronic portfolios in teacher education: Student voices. Journal of Computing in Teacher Education, 22(3), 69–78.Wetzel, K. & Strudler, N. (2005). The diffusion of electronic portfolios in teacher education: Next steps and recommendations from accomplished users. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 38(2), 231–243.

Contact information

Bernadette Laumann (bmlaumann@eiu.edu)Johnell Bentz (jbentz@illinois.edu)Michelle Bonati (bonati1@illinois.edu)Andrea Ruppar (ruppar@wisc.edu)