Professional Development

Skills in Action: An E-Portfolio Primer

When it comes to finding a job in the tech industry, an e-portfolio is now a vital part of any application package. If a resume is meant to list your skills, the e-portfolio that accompanies it demonstrates—in an easily accessible digital format—how you used those skills.

Though you can still create a portfolio with the traditional three-ring binder, an e-portfolio is much more appealing to potential employers. It's an effective tool for communicating the scope of your technical expertise. You can present them with samples in multiple formats, such as text, images, video, and audio. E-portfolios are also easier and faster to update than printed versions. You can even include a link to your portfolio on your resume so prospective employers can access it immediately.

The basic components of an e-portfolio include:

• A home page that provides general information about yourself and why you are valuable to employers.
• A page that contains a detailed description of your job skills.
• A photo album that displays thumbnail images of your samples, with links to the full sample and a list of skills required to create it.
• An e-mail address and other contact information you wish to include.

By using a Glencoe program, such as the new Introduction to Web Design or the Introduction to Multimedia, you can help your students develop their own e-portfolios as they progress through the real-world projects found in their Online Student Manuals. These manuals integrate with the software you're teaching and allow students to extend and apply their skills with application-specific, step-by-step activities. Rubrics and checklists also help them complete and evaluate their portfolios. At the end of the program, they'll have the perfect showcase of their skills and a terrific tool for launching their careers.

Glencoe's Online Student Manuals feature Portfolio Projects at the end of every unit to help students integrate technical and academic skills with real-world activities.