Using Teacher Websites and Student Digital Portfolios to Enhance Student Learning
Date
2014-05-01
DOI
Authors
Medsker-Mehalic, Kimberly
Version
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
We live in a visual world constantly surrounded by technology. Technology has altered the face of educational environments. Freeport High School in Freeport, Maine is one of sixty-two schools participating in the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI). This program was one of the first statewide programs for equipping seventh to twelfth grade students, and their teachers, with technology. This qualitative study incorporated surveys, online investigations, and classroom implementation to explore how students and teachers had been using their iPads for educational purposes. This study was a classroom-based study that took place in high school studio art courses where the researcher was also the teacher. While collecting data from student and teacher surveys the researcher focused on improving her practice by reflecting on her own integration of technology in her studio art classrooms. This study also focused on investigating ways in which iPads can help studio art students document their own learning by creating digital portfolio websites reflecting their artistic process and final products. The teacher and student websites resulting from this study were created as frameworks for sharing knowledge, learning, and understanding. The results of this study encourage art educators to integrate technology into their curriculum specifically through the use of student digital portfolio websites. In addition, teachers are encouraged to improve their curriculum transparency by creating and maintaining helpful teacher websites.