Portfolio
How not to forget what you have already done? How to reach out to others and make contacts? How to look at your learning and creation?
One crucial learning activity that can sometimes be forgettable is evidence of learning progress, i.e. what, how and when you have learned. Such activity is essential for several reasons - it gives you an insight into the approach you have taken so far, allows you to show yourself, see what you are and are not good at, and looks back if you want to continue.
One of the key reasons to keep a is to be able to track where you are going. Often, it is only by looking at that you can see that you have a particular profile or professional interest that, with the hustle and bustle of everyday life, may not be at all apparent.
Portfolios generally take two primary forms:
- Serving to show to others (and yourself) the best of what you do and can do. This way, nothing important will be left out, and you can make new contacts and connections. In this case, it is advisable to respect the experience of the community you are in, for example, in terms of structure, language, expected elements, etc.
- The other option is a study portfolio where you can put everything you do. Such a portfolio is not for public presentation but for your use or consultation with a career counsellor or mentor. The goal is to have everything you've ever done - from assignments to internships, articles written, projects,... but it can also include books you've read or paintings you've done. While a presentation portfolio is primarily for reflecting on the person as a one (or two) subject matter expert, a teaching portfolio can and should maintain sufficient breadth.
What can be part of the portfolio:
- Assignments submitted
- List of books read (reading diary)
- Interesting resources you are following
- Celebrities you follow
- Your creation
- Your hobbies (though beware of the digital footprint)
- Links to social networks
- Reflection on where you are going
- CV
- Your industry focus or paradigm
- Experience from practice and research
- Activities demonstrating your creativity, empathy, sociability, etc.
- Courses completed
- Extracurricular activities
- Courses
- Parts showing reflection on your studies
- Recommendations and feedback
- And anything else you can think of!
Remember that your portfolio is your presentation. Put things in it that you want the wider public to know - though we don't recommend photos from parties or family outings, for example!
Don't be afraid to use the portfolio as an active learning tool. It will help you navigate and set better and more meaningful learning goals. You will gain a better insight into your situation and can also do activities that will logically complement your portfolio. For this reason, it is a good idea to include the completion date for each activity and possibly a short reflection.
