Portfolio / ePortfolio Requirements
A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the student's efforts, progress, and achievements in one or more areas of the curriculum. The collection must include the following:
- Student participation in selecting contents.
- Criteria for selection.
- Criteria for judging merits.
- Evidence of a student's self-reflection.
- Faculty Evaluation and Feedback
It should represent a collection of students' best work or best efforts, student-selected samples of work experiences related to outcomes being assessed, and documents according growth and development toward mastering identified outcomes.
 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices Portfolio Information (Undergraduate/Graduate)
Required for all underdraduate and graduate programs except Educational Leadership
English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Portfolio Information (Undergraduate/Graduate)
Required for all underdraduate and graduate programs except Educational Leadership
Florida Educational Leadership Portfolio Information
All candidates admitted, or readmitted, into the program spring semester of 2007 and after are required to complete an outcome assessment electronic portfolio (e-portfolio). The Collaborative Digital Network (CDN) and the e-portfolio will be introduced in EDG 6931, Technology and Data Analysis.
Candidates will be expected to upload artifacts to their e-portfolio at the end of each semester that address specific Florida Principal Leadership Standards (FPLS). A reflective analysis/narrative annotation shall accompany each artifact, explaining the relationship between it and the standard. Program faculty will review candidate entries at the end of each semester and make suggestions where needed for improvement.
As candidates proceed through their program of study, they have the option to add or delete artifacts in order to best demonstrate their knowledge and application of skills contained in each Florida Principal Leadership Standard. At the end of their program, candidates will meet with program faculty to discuss their attainment of the standards. The portfolio must contain evidence of a proficiency level of Fulfilled on the ten Florida Principal Leadership Standards.
Satisfactory completion of the e-portfolio is a program and degree requirement.
Candidates admitted after spring semester of 2004 and before spring semester of 2007 are required to complete an outcome assessment portfolio in paper format. In their last semester of study, candidates will submit a notebook portfolio demonstrating their knowledge and application of skills contained in each Florida Principal Leadership Standard. The portfolio will consist of artifacts, and accompanying reflective analyses/narrative annotations explaining the relationship between the work and the standards. The portfolio must contain evidence of a proficiency level of Fulfilled on the ten Florida Principal Leadership Standards.
Satisfactory completion of the e-portfolio is a program and degree requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the purpose of the portfolio?
There are four primary purposes of the portfolio assignment. First, candidates are encouraged to make connections across the content and skills addressed in coursework throughout their program of study. A second purpose is to continue the professional learning and growth initiated throughout the program through guided reflection and analysis of personal learning. Third, the presentation of the portfolio and its artifacts assists faculty in assessing whether a candidate has achieved an acceptable level of performance as measured against the learning goals outlined in the program standards and expectations. Finally, the portfolio partially satisfies requirements of our accrediting agencies.
- Who is required to complete an electronic portfolio rather than a paper portfolio?
All candidates admitted, or readmitted, to the program spring semester, 2007 and after
must complete an electronic portfolio, rather than a paper portfolio. Those
candidates wishing to complete an electronic portfolio rather than a paper portfolio may submit a written request through the program coordinator.
- Is the portfolio intended to be a product or a process?
We intend it to be a process. We encourage our candidates to build their portfolios throughout their programs of study.
- When should I apply for the portfolio process?
Candidates must apply by the 15th day of the semester prior to the semester in which they intend to complete their degree program to present their portfolio to program faculty. To qualify, a candidate must have completed or be in the process of completing all required coursework outlined in his/her planned program of studies at the time of the presentation. The candidate must be in good standing and must be enrolled in at least 2 hours of graduate coursework at the time of the portfolio presentation. The candidate must also submit any
and all university or college required applications by the appropriate deadlines, and meet all criteria outlined in the graduate catalog to be eligible for graduation.
- May I have a faculty member preview my portfolio?
It is not appropriate to have faculty members preview or edit your paper portfolio. E-portfolios will be reviewed each semester.
- What are the required components of the portfolio?
The required components of the portfolio are an analytical and reflective paper, including the candidate’s outline for continuing professional growth, that describes the candidate’s own development as an educator and a school leader as it occurred throughout the program of study. In addition, the portfolio contains the candidate’s resume, a statement of his or her philosophy of educational leadership, and selected artifacts completed during the program that demonstrate the candidate’s accomplishment of the Florida Principal Leadership Standards in the ten program standard areas identified in the program standards matrix.
- How should I organize my (paper) portfolio?
The portfolio should be compiled in one white binder not to exceed three (3) inches in thickness at the spine. There is no required number of pages for the portfolio. Tabbed sections should organize the notebook contents and a table of contents should be provided. Tabbed sections for the following elements must be included:
1. Analytical and Reflective Paper
2. Curriculum Vitae (Expanded Resume)
3. Philosophy of Educational Leadership
4. Artifacts representing each Florida Leadership Standard
- May I use plastic sleeves for my (paper) portfolio entries?
The notebook should be free of plastic sleeves.
- How should I label the (paper portfolio) notebook?
The notebook should have a spine label that provides the candidate’s full name (Last name, First name, Middle initial), date of submission (month, year), and the degree sought (M.Ed.).
- What is the analytical and reflective paper?
The analytical and reflective paper should address the following:
a) A brief summary of the most significant knowledge or skills gained in each of the courses in the program, the way(s) in which each artifact in the portfolio reflect this growth, and the issues, themes and major concepts the candidate identifies as threads that connect content and experiences across the coursework.
b) A discussion of the candidate’s beliefs about teaching, learning, the purposes of education, and role and nature of leadership and how they have developed and evolved throughout the candidate’s participation in the program. An educational or supervisory platform or any other appropriate documents may be appended in original or revised format. The discussion should indicate the course content, activities, assignments, and other experiences that have contributed to the development of these statements of belief.
c) An analysis of the challenges and practices that the candidate will strive to impact as an educational leader to ensure quality educational experiences and achievement for all children. The discussion should describe the resources and barriers that will affect his or her efforts.
Candidates must provide a complete reference page for the reflective essay and must use appropriate citations within the text. The documentation must conform to American Psychological Association, APA style format as outlined in the most recent edition of the Publication Manual.
- How long should the analytical and reflective paper be?
The analytical and reflective paper should be the equivalent of 10-20 pages in length, typed and double-spaced in a san-serif 12-point font, with one-inch margins.
- What should I include in my resume?
Refer to The Collaborative Digital Network (CDN) e-portfolio system Resume Guide for both paper and e-portfolios. Items to be addressed include goals, qualifications, education, experience, activities and references.
- What is my educational leadership philosophy?
Your philosophy should be written through the “lens” of a leader. Explain your educational leadership vision, your main priorities in education, and the kind of leader you want to be.
- Should I put everything that I created during my program in the portfolio or should I be selective?
Although we encourage you to collect everything and write cover sheets at the time of completion, you should be selective in identifying products for your portfolio. Choose those products or artifacts, no more than two per standard, which represent your best works. These should demonstrate the most significant things that you have learned in relation to the standards.
- Can I put products or artifacts in the portfolio that I created at my school or at my work?
Advance approval must be secured from the program coordinator of Educational Leadership Development to use a work site artifact. The use of a work site artifact must be fully supported and validated by your reflection.
- How many artifacts should I put in my portfolio?
To construct the portfolio, the candidate should use the Florida Principal Leadership Standards as well as the USFSP course standards matrix as a guide to select two artifacts that demonstrates his or her proficiency in the areas defined by each of the ten program standards. While some work products may demonstrate knowledge and skill in more than one area, no artifact may be used to demonstrate proficiency for more than two standards. Products may be included in their original or in a revised form. Should you include a revised form, also include the original document. This will demonstrate the developmental nature of your learning. If a product was developed for a program area course, the evaluative rubric must be included.
- How should I explain each artifact?
For each artifact, create a cover sheet where you identify the nature of the product, the Florida Principal Leadership Standard that is addressed, and a detailed rationale for the artifact’s selection. When you are relating the artifact to the standards, think about what was the most significant thing or things that you learned by doing the artifact. Tie the most significant thing learned to specific indicators of the standards. More is not better.
- When is the portfolio due?
A hard copy of the portfolio must be submitted to designated faculty by the end of the business day on or before the first Friday of November, the last Friday of March, or the last Friday of June during the semester that he/she intends to graduate.
- What is the portfolio presentation?
At the meeting, the candidate will have 30 minutes to discuss his/her portfolio and analytical paper with the faculty members who will ask questions to elicit clarification, elaboration and/or to provide critique of the work submitted. The candidate should seek to explain what he or she knows and can do as a result of the program of study. In addition, the candidate should seek to demonstrate his/her skill acquisition across the standards. The program faculty members who attend the meeting will complete an evaluative rubric and will share the completed rubric with the candidate immediately following the presentation.
- May I attend some of my classmates’ portfolio presentations?
You may attend if the candidate presenting consents.
- When are the portfolio presentations?
The presentations are scheduled during finals week during the semester that you intend to graduate. It is the candidate’s responsibility to contact the program coordinator to schedule an appointment time for the portfolio defense.
- How are the portfolio and presentation scored?
Program faculty have defined the criteria for evaluating candidate portfolio component submissions in a set of rubrics, based upon the Florida Principal Leadership Standards (FPLS). These rubrics will be used to evaluate candidate artifact submissions and annotations for each required component of the electronic portfolio. Candidates must receive a score of “Fulfilled” for each component to successfully complete this program completion requirement. Candidates will submit artifacts and annotations to the Collaborative Digital Network (CDN) each semester throughout their work in the program. Each semester program faculty will evaluate and provide written feedback regarding the candidate’s level of proficiency for each standard for which artifacts and annotations have been submitted.
Candidates will meet, in their last semester, with a panel of program faculty to review their portfolios and to present and discuss the analytical essay. A candidate who fails to receive a score of “Fulfilled” for any program standard, or on the reflective essay and portfolio presentation, will be given one week (7 calendar days from the date of notification) to revise and resubmit the applicable materials for re-evaluation. Revised submissions will be evaluated using the process outlined above, with a second presentation hearing at the discretion of the program faculty. Candidates who fail to receive a score of “Fulfilled” on their resubmission and/or re-hearing, will be deemed to have been unsuccessful in their attempt to meet this program completion standard.
Any candidate who fails to successfully complete any portion of the portfolio requirements may apply to resubmit and present his or her portfolio to the program faculty in the following semester. A candidate must enroll in two (2) hours of graduate coursework for the purpose of remediation, and must meet the qualification requirements for eligibility for graduation to qualify to resubmit and present the portfolio. It is the candidate’s responsibility to contact the program advisor to develop the remediation plan and to ensure that all program and university requirements are met.
- When will my portfolio be returned?
We need to permanently keep your portfolio for accreditation visits so please make copies of all the entries. Keep the originals and put the copies in your program portfolio.
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