Portrait of a Graduate: Crafting Authentic Learning Portfolios for the AI Era

Outline

Outline for "Portrait of a Graduate: Crafting Authentic Learning Portfolios for the AI Era"

1. Introduction to the Portrait of a Graduate Framework and the AI Era (10 minutes)

Content: We will introduce the Portrait of a Graduate (PoG) framework, focusing on its key attributes—such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication—that align with preparing students for future careers and integrate ISTE standards. Additionally, we will discuss the rapid advancement of AI in education and its transformative potential for creating authentic learning portfolios that represent student growth holistically.

Engagement: To connect with the audience, we will use an interactive poll to ask participants which PoG attributes they prioritize in their schools. Responses will be displayed live to spark a discussion on diverse educational values.

Activity: Audience members will engage in a brief think-pair-share activity where they reflect on how their schools currently assess these competencies and share with their neighbor.

2. Designing Portfolios for Diverse Learners (15 minutes)

Content: This section will focus on strategies for designing portfolios that address learner variability, including cultural, linguistic, and neurodiverse needs. We will emphasize how authentic portfolios can capture the full spectrum of student experiences and growth.

Engagement: We will show examples of portfolios from students with diverse backgrounds, highlighting how portfolios can be tailored to meet individual needs and emphasize learner agency.
Activity: Using a provided template, participants will work in small groups to outline a portfolio that incorporates AI tools and represents one fictional student's learning journey, paying attention to cultural relevance and inclusivity. Each group will then share their portfolio outline with the whole group.

3. Empowering Learners Through Authentic Portfolios (20 minutes)

Content: We will transition to a guided discussion about how authentic learning portfolios can promote self-directed learning and student empowerment. We will focus on how educators can foster a culture of student agency and reflective practice using AI-enhanced portfolios.
Engagement: Facilitated by guiding questions, participants will engage in group discussions on how to empower students to take ownership of their portfolios and demonstrate competencies in real-world contexts.
Activity: Groups will brainstorm ways they can implement portfolio development in their schools, with a focus on student agency and alignment to personalized learning goals. Groups will use sticky notes or a shared virtual board to post their ideas, which will be reviewed collectively by the entire group at the end.

4. Reflection and Q&A (15 minutes)

Content: We will conclude with a summary of the key takeaways, including how to implement AI-supported portfolios in schools, how these portfolios align with the Portrait of a Graduate framework, and how to meet diverse learner needs.

Engagement: We will invite participants to reflect individually on what specific action steps they can take to implement AI-driven portfolios in their educational settings.
Activity: Participants will complete a quick reflection using a digital exit ticket, answering: “What is one thing you’ll implement in your school from this session?” This will be followed by a Q&A session to address any remaining questions or challenges the audience might have.

Time Breakdown - 60 minutes

Supporting research

Barrett, H. (2007). Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement: The REFLECT initiative. Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference.

Meyer, E., Abrami, P. C., Wade, A., Aslan, O., & Deault, L. (2010). Improving literacy and metacognition with electronic portfolios: Teaching and learning with ePEARL. Computers & Education, 55(1), 84–91.

Meyer, E., Abrami, P. C., Wade, A., & Scherzer, R. (2011). Electronic portfolios in the classroom: Factors impacting teachers’ integration of new technologies and new pedagogies. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 20(2), 191–207.

Eynon, B., Gambino, L. M., & Török, J. (2014). The educational e-portfolio: Preliminary evidence of its relationship with students’ self-efficacy and engagement. Education and Information Technologies, 19(2), 131-152.

Du Toit, S. J., & Vandeyar, S. (2004). The portfolio as an authentic assessment tool for learning: Is it serving its purpose? South African Journal of Education, 24(2), 129-135.