The First Annual Macaulay ePortfolio Expo

The ePortfolio system is known as a tool for enhanced learning in Macaulay; on our class blogs we share our insights, keep up with class updates, and the like. There is a small portion of Macaulay students that use the ePortfolios outside of class, however. Held at Macaulay Central, the ePortfolio Expo was a way for students to share their personal ePortfolios and receive feedback from both their peers and Macaulay ITFs. Fifteen students submitted their ePortfolios to the Expo, with two chances of winning an iPad 2.

About a dozen students and four ITFs sat in a circle for an open discussion. The discussion started with the question: what should an ePortfolio be? The group weighed the benefits of a blog style ePortfolio versus an online showcase of one’s work, deciding that either one served different purposes. The 15 submitted websites varied greatly. Some ePortfolios were academically oriented or reflected on collegiate experiences. Lilach Gez, a sophomore at Brooklyn, utilized her ePortfolio to document her “AUSome” experience studying abroad in Australia. Ariana Tobias of Hunter College used her ePortfolio as a more interactive device to present her senior thesis about reading Harry Potter as a postmodern apocalyptic fiction. City College freshman Simit Christian displays various items on his ePortfolio, from jokes he has written and projects he has worked on, to text messages he’s received, as a way to say “Hello World, I exist”.

The group examined the ePortfolios one by one. The evening was accented with funny videos, awe-inspiring artwork, and interesting thesis summaries. ITFs Emily Sherwood (Baruch), Fiona Lee (Hunter), Lisa Brundage (Central), and John Sorrentino (Central) were crucial in advising the nominees about creating a better ePortfolio, in terms of both content and the inner workings of the ePortfolio system. As each new ePortfolio was vastly different in style and content than the other, the event did not drag on. Nevertheless, in the back of every nominee’s mind was who the winner was. Announced at the end, it was Maisha Lopa, with her very professional ePortfolio. Her ePortfolio features her undergraduate portfolio, résumé, and a map of places she has visited or lived.

There is still the People’s Choice Award, the winner of which will also received an iPad 2. Currently in the lead are two freshmen. The first is Clarissa Baquiran, whose ePortfolio titled, Clarissa [Sometimes] Explains It All features her photography along with a personal blog. Not far behind is Veronica Shi’s ePortfolio VerriBerii which contains a variety of different pieces of art, including flash animation and Photoshop creations.

For inspiration for you own ePortfolio, you can visit all fifteen ePortfolios presented in the Expo here. For help, visit your friendly neighborhood ITF!