The Work of Art

Spring Year-Long Portfolio Assignment

Due: Thursday June 2nd  

 

Purpose:  This quarter you will be refining the web site that you constructed last term.  The web site has two functions: 1) it should reflect your work and progress throughout the course; 2) it should serve as a means to introduce you and your learning to others.  This is the final step in your FRINQ portfolio.  Please note that several of your portfolios will be chosen randomly to be part of an overall review of learning in FRINQ courses.  Therefore, there is a possibility that your portfolio will be looked at someone other than myself and if you have work that is particularly sensitive, you might not want to include it in your portfolio. 

 

In addition to providing an opportunity to present your work and learning in the context of the course and the University Studies goals (Critical Thinking, Communication, the Diversity of Human Experience, Ethics and Social Responsibility), the portfolio is also intended to foster reflection about your own learning within the university context.

 

Listed below are the components which should be in your web site portfolio.

1. Your portfolio should be a fully functioning web site..  Making sure that your web site works is crucial.  If your portfolio cannot be accessed, it cannot be graded!  Give your peer mentor the link address to your portfolio and how you can be immediately contacted –e.g. phone numbers and email addresses.

2. Present a Homepage which functions as a visual statement of your learning as well as introducing the portfolio and yourself as the author.  Think of the portfolio as a performance and the home page sets the beginning….the stage for that performance. Include your name, the name of the course, and any other pertinent information.  On the Homepage, you can include a hyperlinked directory to the rest of your web site.  These links should be 1) reflection on learning 2) communication goal 3) critical thinking goal 4) diversity goal 5) ethics and social responsibility goal and 6) biography (optional) or you may choose to have the viewer move through you portfolio more intentionally.  Perhaps you do want them to have the choice as to how they move through the portfolio, i.e., you decide which pages they go to and in which order.  However, also think about ease of navigability as these pages will be assessed and the viewer needs to access them easily.  Each subsequent page should have a consistent design and layout (with at least one image) that links to the homepage as well as to each other so that the entire webpage presents a consistent design layout.  You need to think about color, font, font style, font size, compatibility and consistency of images and use of space to name a few.

3. Write and include a 1500 word personal reflection written in first person which must be double spaced and proofread.  This reflection should stem from the philosophy of education that you wrote in the fall.  This essay should be linked off of the reflections page.

After rereading your philosophy of education, think about and address the following questions in relation to your philosophy of education.

1. Restate your philosophy. 

2. Have you been true to your philosophy this year?   If so, how?  If not, why not?

3. How does the work you’ve chosen for this portfolio and your personal learning this year in Freshman Inquiry, either support or counter your personal philosophy?

4. In hindsight, would you change your philosophy of education and if so how?

 

As you write and shape your essay, think about how best to organize it.  Does it make more sense to order the information chronologically?  From the least to most important point? From struggles to breakthroughs? In other words, don’t just free associate.  Organize your essay into a logical order and best fits the points you are trying to make.

This essay is about what you learned not about what you liked.

1. Organize your web site around the four University Studies goals and write an Introduction to each of the four University Studies goals.  You should restate each goal (and/or link to the University Studies web site’s restatement of the goals) and also interpret what each of those goals means to you.

2. Select only two or three examples of your work for each of the four University Studies goals which you think best demonstrates your achievement in that area.  You must include at least eight different assignments in your portfolio.  Each work you include MUST have the original assignment included.  For the communication goal you must include an example of your writing with a first draft and a polished revision. If you would like to revise the work, you are free to do so.  Each work you include should be free of any handwritten comments from the professor.  These examples must include at least one example from each of the three terms.

 

Work which must be included (please revise these if necessary to show your best work): 

1. At least One Group Project including as many aspects of that work as is necessary to demonstrate the goal, i.e., PowerPoint, group reflection and feedback, group contract etc.

2. Research Paper

***Remember you must include at least one assignment from each of the terms.

 

Other Possible Work Choices include:

1. Fall term Journals

2. Final Creative Project

3. Prehistoric Art Presentation

4. Education Philosophy Paper

5. Art Portfolio

6. Garden Project

7. Research Proposal and Paper

8. Winter Term Analysis/Synthesis Paper

9. Student Led Discussion on Art Movement

10. E-Magazine (highlighting your contribution to it)

 

This Year-Long Portfolio will be worth 20% of your overall grade for spring term.  Following is the grade breakdown for each component.

 

1. Web site layout, design and ease of navigation                   6%

2. Quality of assignments chosen                                           6%

3. Reflection on Learning                                                      6%

4. Introduction/Understanding of Goals                                  2%