top of page
Search
  • Writer's pictureAdrian Cargal

COVA: The Solution to Prosperous ePortfolios

Whilst serving as an interview committee member over the last ten years, I have witnessed numerous interactions with potential candidates to fill teaching positions within our campus. The process is always the same: Interview questions are prepared (sometimes with minimal introspection), the candidate answers the questions (sometimes with little effort or fabricated details), the committee takes notes and mulls over the interaction in order to hire a person that is a right fit for the campus. There are times that we lucked out and hired the perfect person for the position, and others when we paid the price for our wrong choices. Now that I have explored the true meaning behind ePortfolios, I cannot help but wonder, "What if we had access to ePortfolios on each potential new-hire? Would we have made different choices?" It makes perfect sense! Everything we would need to find the right fit for a subject area or department would be displayed by the individual as an extension of themselves. According to Harapnuik and Thibodeaux in their video "Learners Mindset" (2020), an ePortfolio is a direct thread that connects who a person is and whom they want to be in the future. If this is the truth, why are we not requiring ePortfolios as a pre-requisite to any job position?!


I believe that the ePortfolio is underrated, mostly because people believe that it is a dumping site for artifacts and grade collection. However, if paired with the COVA (choice, ownership, voice, authentic learning experience) model, an ePortfolio is the epitome of personal learning and self-reflection (Barnstable, 2010). The beautiful thing about COVA is that it allows personality and customization to shine through. When a person can choose the layout, manipulate a display of their own creation, and project their voice through their showcase, the sky is the limit! There is no template, no exemplar to model after, and no bar to reach. There is only guidance and feedback from peers and mentors to aid in the process. An ePortfolio can serve as a stepping stone to a desired career, a one-stop-shop for all things "you", a timeline of thought progressions, proof of continued learning, and a true investment in yourself (Barnstable, 2010).




Having a developed ePortfolio can make someone stand out from the rest of the crowd. Imagine walking into an interview or potential promotion meeting with no documentation and the interview chair says, "What do you have for our review committee this afternoon?" Would it not be amazing to be able to say, "I have a few products I would like to showcase via my ePortfolio. You can visit www.classycargal.com or view it from the Chromebook I brought with me." Having a visually aesthetic, organized, user-friendly website to serve as an ePortfolio that includes accolades, social media outlets, past presentations, interests and aspirations, work experience, and educational backgrounds can really separate someone from the pack and create a memorable interaction resulting in advantageous results. Resumes would become obsolete!


Not only is an ePortfolio a tremendous idea for future employment, but it serves as one of the most important constructs of learning, which is reflection. Simply experiencing an event is not true learning unless it has been reflected upon (Reflection4Learning, 2020). What better way to reflect than to create something based upon the experience and publish it to a worldwide audience? The benefits are exponential, and so many rewards can be reaped from digging in your feet and doing the work in order to make yourself known. So, I guess what what I'm asking is... Why haven't you started YOUR ePortfolio yet?


References:


Barnstable, K. (2010, January 8). 41 Benefits of an ePortfolio. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from Stable Transitions website:


Harapnuik, D. K., Thibodeaux, T. N. (2020). LMD EP30 ePortfolio Why [YouTube Video]. Retrieved from


Why Reflect? - Reflection4Learning. (2020). Why Reflect? - Reflection4Learning. Retrieved November 25, 2020, from Google.com website:


7 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page