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As Seniors, you will soon be facing a life-altering time of change: The transition from your
undergraduate life to either the workforce or graduate school. In facing our future, it is
worthwhile to assessto thoughtfully examinewhat we have learned from our past and how
we have changed over time. One systematic way of engaging in that kind of self-assessment is
by assembling an electronic portfolio. In general, a portfolio is a collection of documents,
objects, works, and products (we refer to these collectively as artifacts) that constitute a
tangible record of your growth, change, learning, progress, achievements, etc. over the years you
have spent as a leadership major. The portfolio is much more than a resume or a listing of
activities. It should demonstrate, creatively and graphically, what you have learned, where you
are now in your personal and academic development, and where you want to be in the future. In
that sense, reflection is an integral part of the collection.
You will assemble your portfolio on a CD/DVD, or on a website. You may use UDs Copeland
Server for a webpage, Freeweb, MySpace, Blogger or any commercial storage device, but we
recommend that you do not pay any money. Many students, last semester, used Freeweb. You
will decide the contents of your portfoliohowever; all portfolios must contain a concise
statement of your Leadership Credo1.You may be chosen to make a 10 minute
presentation/demonstration of your portfolio to the class and to the Leadership faculty
somewhere between November 26 and December 5. The submission of your e-portfolio,
regardless of your presentation date, is December 5. If you are submitting your portfolio on a
CD/DVD, you must submit six copiesone for each Leadership faculty. Your product will be
evaluated by the faculty, using a rubric that will be shared with you in the near future.
The remainder of this document contains details that you will find helpful as you assemble your
e-portfolio. The contents have been adapted from: Barrett (2000) and Danielson & Abrutyn
(1997). 2
Your Leadership Credo is a brief leadership message (under 20 words) with which you articulate what you know,
how you know it, and why its important. This snapshot should present you in a manner that highlights your
leadership potential to a future employer, collaborator, academic officer, etc
2
Barrett, H. C. (1999, 2000). Electronic portfolios = Multimedia development + portfolio development: The
electronic portfolio development process. Retrieved August 29, 2006 from
http://www.uwstout.edu/art/artedportfolios/evaluating/index.html
Danielson, C., Abrutyn, L. (1997). An Introduction to Using Portfolios in the Classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
The search for evidence in the form of artifacts is a quest for quality. The reflection process will
assist you in determining how artifacts are collected, selected, and presented. Artifact selection
requires that you place value upon an experience or event. As you develop your portfolio, you
will be gathering 'artifacts' that demonstrate your ability to apply your knowledge of leadership,
consumer behavior and consumer policy with a personal system of values and ethics to mobilize
socially-responsible change. You will also want to include artifacts that demonstrate your
proficiency in the leadership skills of teamwork, effective communication, decision making, and
synergistic and creative approaches to problem solving. Thus your artifacts should be the
following:
Carefully selected
Represent your connections to the goals and philosophy of the Leadership program
Demonstrate your achievement of the Student Learning Outcomes listed on your
syllabus for this course
Presented professionally
Personally meaningful
Paired with a relevant and insightful reflection (reflections can be written, audio or
videotaped
how and why you think the way you do about leadership
what actions you took, what choices you made
the meaning of your actions and choices
what learning and growth has occurred
how you can change your practices in the future
what you believe is the social value of leadership
given your education in leadership, what you believe are your roles and responsibilities as
a professional, an individual, and a citizen.
8. How would you describe your development as a leader and what evidence can you
provide?
9. What do you notice when you review your earlier work?
10. How have your problem solving skill developed over time, compare and contrast?
11. How do you describe yourself as a leader from your first year of study to your last year of
study
12. As a result of your studies, how have you become a change agent?
What is the purpose of reflection?
You will be reflecting on the outcomes from your coursework and experiences. While reflection
suggests recollection and the remembering of events and activities past, it is remembering within
the contexts of analysis, beliefs, and values. Your portfolio can be constantly revised as you
thoughtfully reflect upon your artifacts, and gain new insights. Some questions that can guide
your reflection might be: What do I know about myself and leadership? What are the
connections between leadership and consumer policies and why are the connections important?
What are the most important points for ME (how does it all fit together)? What are my strengths
as a leader (what works best for me)? What is my vision of a socially responsible individual and
organization? What is my plan for putting my strengths to use (immediate and long-term)? How
will I make a difference, i.e., make the world a better place?
Where do you put the reflections in your portfolio?
Your portfolio is an assessment portfolio. Reflections should be infused throughout your
portfolio. One of the advantages of an E-Portfolio is the capacity to integrate text and images and
to cross-reference using links.