In addition to our recent event to help students understand the differences between the ePortfolio and the thesis options, we also invited former ASIS&T Student Chapter Executive Committee member Markita Dawson to comment on her experience.
The recording for the ASIS&T event ePortofolio or Thesis – What’s Right for You? can be found here.
My Experience with the E-Portfolio
By Markita Dawson (iSchool graduate 2014)
When entering the Master’s program at SJSU, the one aspect that made me nervous was the expectation of completing a thesis or an ePortfolio. It made me nervous that I was to complete a project that culminated my entire program into one work. I could barely remember what I learned after a semester, now I was to write on a subject that I was to research and support on my own.
Nerve wracking.
I decided that I would complete the e-portfolio as my experience project. The e-portfolio at SJSU entails that a student show examples of work and knowledge of library skills gained during their Master’s program.
Fourteen competencies, a statement of philosophy, and an introduction, these seemed rather simple and cut and dry, yet it wasn’t.
I mapped out my project with charts AND graphs, as well as excel spreadsheets to help organize my work to make the process easier. The only issue I had not counted on was my procrastination and a series of brain farts. Coming up with various ways to speak on a topic that seems rather similar to another competency tested my writing skills and my love for the library. How could I differentiate all of my evidence if they ALL seemed the same? Finally, with the wonderful guidance of my e-portfolio advisor, I was able to complete my project (http://mdawsonmliseportfolio.wordpress.com/).
All of my hard work came in a completed blog that came with long nights and little rest, as well as my no-longer-working brain. It’s worth it in the end though. I plan on using this as listed work I have completed on my CV in the future.
Here are a few links to the resources that I used to complete my e-portfolio (Chart, comp wheel, and personal e-port guide with a template for cards and monitor). Depending on the professor you get, you will be given several resources to help in creating a e-portfolio. One of those resources will be examples of previous e-portfolios; again it depends on what the professor gives you and how they want it formatted, but these examples help out a lot in terms of what exactly needs to be written. It can be overwhelming and a bit envious to see the finished product, but one aspect you should draw from the examples is that not one e-portfolio will be the same. Everyone has different ways of doing things. Equifinality: starting at the same place, yet taking a different route to end at the same result. Remember to breathe and take your time when starting this project, you’re going to need to.
Good luck to those who are embarking on this project. Get rest, don’t stress, and ask for help from your advisor; they are there to help you, even it doesn’t feel like it.