Purdue Polytechnic High School (PPHS) is one of our most innovative school licensees. They are one of the first completely competency-based high school in the state of Indiana. PPHS is currently using the CN full LMS with comprehensive micro-certification (badging) to visually display student milestones and learning outcomes. The CN Portfolio, CN LMS and CN Social Network system are being used to complete all learning and teaching activities. Students use their CN Portfolio as the primary tool to capture, organize, and display progress on learning milestones; they receive badges once they complete a task or project and receive a master badge upon completion of a learning competency. They also build detailed showcases of personal and school projects. Each parent at PPHS has a CN account that gives them direct access to their child’s ePortfolio. We expect PPHS students to use their ePortfolio to apply for college admission or job applications, and use it throughout their life.
We wondered, what do the students think about CN? More specifically the ePortfolio? Andrew Zeller, Director of Innovation at PPHS, connected us with Wesley L. who is a freshman at PPHS. The following is a QA with Wesley. To view Wesley's complete ePortfolio, please visit https://www.thecn.com/LW398.
How was your experience building your ePortfolio?
My experience with building my ePortfolio was an overall positive one, though it was one that changed over time. When I initially started, I focused on highlighting skills - you can see it by how the showcases are arranged. I made a showcase for 3D modeling, another for computer science, one for marketing analytics, etc. Eventually, I started to realize that the showcases were better used for describing experiences. It just fit the format better, and experiences, in general, are better for showing your skills than just describing them - you can back up words with actions.
Wesley's ePortfolio Showcase Summary Cards
What is your favorite part or feature of the ePortfolio?
Immediately I think of the showcases - they’re the biggest part that you actually develop, after all - but after more detailed consideration, I would have to say the recommendation system, by way of originality alone. Could recommendations be given and shown without the CN ePortfolio? Yes, without a doubt. However, CN streamlines this process in a way I have yet to see elsewhere. The ability to quickly navigate between portfolios and easily give and endorse recommendations is such that these tokens of merit become easy to receive and display, assisting all of us in our oh-so-noble quest to look just that little bit better in the eyes of an employer than the competition.
Do you think this ePortfolio will help you in the future (applying for jobs, colleges, etc.)? If so, how?
Yes. The recommendation functionality strikes me as an excellent example of how the CN portfolio would help me and others like me, in ways that I have outlined above. I also appreciate how CN allows for one’s accomplishments to be made publicly visible, which can lead to new doors being opened - take for example this very interview, which never would have happened if not for my ePortfolio being visible.
A recommendation Wesley received on his ePortfolio
Do you think the ePortfolio is beneficial to high school students?
Yes. I think that it provides a way to easily and with little initiative required (something that many high school students lack) demonstrate what they know and what they’ve done.
How are you using the ePortfolio in school now?
Each cycle we are required to make a showcase related to our design team project and are encouraged to give recommendations and develop our ePortfolio in other ways.
PPHS is a fantastic example case of best practices on CN, and they exemplify innovation and the next generation of learning. We are proud to serve them and collaborate on new features. If you're interested in learning more, please visit thecn.com or send us an email at info@coursenetworking.com.