A Portfolio Model for Music Educators

Author(s): Cheryl Frazes Hill

Source: Music Educators Journal , Sep., 2008, Vol. 95, No. 1 (Sep., 2008), pp. 61-72
Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. on behalf of MENC: The National Association for
Music Education

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 by Cheryl Frazes Hill
A Portfolio Model
for Music Educators
In recent years, portfolios in paper or
digital form have become a requirement
for teachers. Many university teacher edu-
cation programs throughout the United
States, including music education, require
a portfolio as a graduation requirement. For
practicing teachers interested in National
Board Certification, a portfolio is part of the
assessment process required by the National
Board for Professional Standards. Portfolios
can be extremely valuable for all teachers,
particularly in the field of music, to chroni-
cle professional accomplishments. Much has
been published about portfolios, describing
every element from the purposes portfolios
serve to the content, design, and methods
in which they should be distributed. The
choices can be daunting. The goal of this
article is to examine what a portfolio is and
how one can be developed, as well as to
provide a portfolio template specifically
suited to the music educator.
What is a Portfolio?
The portfolio used in teacher education is
an organized collection of artifacts (exam-
ples of work), documenting a person's
skill and growth in an educational program
and a career. This tool can be valuable for
practicing and prospective teachers alike.
The artifacts in a portfolio display "the
wide range of knowledge, dispositions,
Cheryl Frazes Hill is head of music education and director of choral activities at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt
University Chicago, and the Associate Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. She can be contacted at chill@roosevelt.edu.
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and skills that you possess as a growing
professional."' Portfolios are particularly
valuable when demonstrating the multi-
faceted talents required of a music educa-
tor. A music educator must be a competent
performer and also possess strong teaching
skills. Equally important is the music teach-
er's ability to communicate and motivate,
both in the classroom and in other venues.
Music teachers are often thrust into very
public roles in which they are expected to
speak to other faculty, administrators, par-
ents, and community members about their
programs. Written and oral communication
skills then, should also be documented in
this representative resume.
In the past, finding an adequate tool to
display a mastery of such diverse skills has
been a challenge. Until recently, the most
substantive information about a practicing A tool that helps
teacher has been limited to the resume.
music teachers
Documentation of a college student's work
was limited to transcripts, testing, and showcase
teaching demonstrations. These tools alone
their skills and
do not directly demonstrate performing
ability, nor do they reliably display other accomplishments,
important but less quantifiable qualities a
music teacher should possess. A portfolio, the portfolio is
however, can show skills in all these areas.
useful at many
The portfolio expands the boundaries of
resumes, testing, transcripts, and teaching levels.
demonstrations, providing artifacts richly
representative of the music educator's
knowledge and skill.
Copyright 2008 MENC: The National
Assocation for Music Education
DOI: 10.1177/0027432108318481
www.mej.sagepub.com
61
 Artifacts come in many forms. Stu-
dent artifacts can include papers written
for a class, illustrating the student's skill
in writing and communication. Writing
samples can also include research papers,
journal entries, and philosophy papers.
Evidence of writing skills for the experi-
enced teacher can include their student
handbook, their philosophy of music
education, a curriculum guide, sample
lesson and unit plans, concert program
notes, and other work representative
of the teacher's writing ability. For pro-
spective and experienced teachers alike,
photographs can also be used as artifacts,
providing further representation of work
done in education. Pictures of bulletin
boards, musical theater productions, field
trips, and concerts are just a few such
artifact possibilities. Media samples such
as audio and video recordings of perfor-
mances, rehearsals, and teaching further
expand the range of artifact possibilities
for music educators. All these artifacts,
placed in a portfolio, can help document
a student's potential as a music teacher.
A Brief History
Portfolios began to be developed about
twenty years ago, in part out of discon-
tent with the American public school
system. Many explanations were offered
for the failing of our schools, and
prominent among them was the rec-
ognition of a widespread lack of high-
quality teaching. National commissions
were formed to improve the schools.
The 1983 report, A Nation At Risk, moti-
vated educators to take another look at
our school systems, with the intent to
raise the quality of teacher education in
the United States.2 The 1986 follow-up
As a result of the 1986 report, the training or in professional work expe-
National Board for Professional Teach- rience is documented over time. Par-
ing Standards (NBPTS) was formed. ticularly useful in teacher education
One goal of this board was to create programs, the learning portfolio pro-
standards for good teaching. The board cess requires the student to play an
identified five propositions defining active role in noting his or her develop-
"What Teachers Should Know and mental changes throughout the teacher
Be Able to Do," which provided the
education experience. For the portfolio
basis for those standards.4 In 1988, to
theserve its purpose, it is critical that the
Teacher Assessment Project, headed
student begin the process of collecting
by Lee Shulman of Stanford Univer-
materials very early in the educational
sity, was created to form an assess-
program and continue compiling evi-
dence throughout the degree pursuit.
ment strategy for the National Board.
In this way, the student is able to
A three-part assessment process was
recognize as well as demonstrate the
developed for the project. The first part
tremendous growth that takes place.
of this new assessment of good teach-
An appropriate artifact for a Learning
ing included a portfolio.5 The portfolio
Portfolio of a music education student
model, therefore, was initially designed
to help identify teachers capablewould
of be an audio recording of a por-
dealing with the complexities of edu-
tion of a private lesson or performance
cating students in today's society and
segment occurring in the student's first
thereby to raise the level of teaching
year along with that of a senior jury or
and education in America's schools. the student's degree recital.
An experienced teacher can simi-
larly construct a Learning Portfolio by
Types of Portfolios documenting the way their work in
the profession has changed over time.
The portfolio model developed in A teacher who has built a music pro-
a variety of ways. Portfolios evolved
gram, for example, can demonstrate
to serve diverse functions. There are
his or her own professional growth
now many different labels for portfolio
by including an artifact of recordings
types, but three basic categories, delin-
that highlight the improvement of the
eated by electronic portfolio expert program under the teacher's guidance.
Helen Barrett, are as follows:
Components of the learning portfolio
include the following:
1. Learning (Formative) Portfo-
lio: This portfolio is "employed on
an ongoing basis to support profes- Ongoing reflective commentary.
sional development."66 Reflective commentary forms the
basis of the Learning Portfolio.
2. Assessment (Summative) Port-
Reflection stimulates an aware-
folio: This portfolio is designed for
formal evaluation.7
ness of growth in skill and under-
standing over time.8 The teacher
3. Employment (Marketing or who uses concert work to demon-

report, A Nation Prepared: Teachers for

the 21st Century, reaffirmed that educa-
tion students needed to be better pre-
pared for a teaching career.3 This report
also demonstrated the inadequacy of
preservice teacher evaluations. Neither
the National Teacher Examinations,
administered since the 1940s, nor iso-
lated teaching demonstrations told the
whole story. They did not sufficiently
demonstrate a candidate's readiness for
the demands of classroom teaching.
Showcase) Portfolio: This port-
folio is designed for job seeking.
The purposes of these portfolio types dif-
fer, creating some variation in their con-
tent. Each type, however, offers unique
opportunities for music educators.
Learning Portfolios
In the Learning Portfolio, the learn-
ing process that takes place in teacher
strate growth in a school program
can provide commentary explain-
ing how their own professional
growth contributed to the changes
they applied to their music pro-
gram. Reflection also fosters aware-
ness for teacher education students,
as they analyze how courses and
experiences within their program
collectively connect and contrib-
ute towards their ability to teach.
The act of reflecting on artifacts

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Photo 1 N Students learn to create electronic portfolios.
Source: Photo courtesy of the author
provides a wealth of information
for portfolio authors as well as for
anyone reading the portfolios.
Opportunity for collaboration.
Another valuable component of the
Learning Portfolio is collaboration.
By discussing the portfolio with
peers, a person is better able to
understand his or her strengths and
weaknesses. One can then develop
strategies to improve in those
areas that need further attention.
Lee Shulman and his colleagues * Helping teacher education students
emphasized the importance of and experienced teachers articulate
this collaborative process. Further-
more, Shulman emphasized that
focusing on outcomes alone would
"miss the mark."9 One of the goals
of the portfolio, according to * Helping teacher education students
Shulman, was
To help create the conditions under
which teachers could live lives that
were more truly professional in the
best sense of the word. One of the
things that members of profes-
sions did was work together, and
collaborate and talk to one another
and mentor one another.10
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Assessment Portfolios
Assessment Portfolios are designed to
document achievement at a fixed point.
Knowledge, skills, and dispositions are
measured using a predetermined set
of standards. This structured portfolio
model provides a way to demonstrate
accomplished tasks in fulfillment of stan-
dards within a college education program
or in conjunction with standards set forth
by a district, a state, or within a given
specialty of the teaching profession.
An example of an artifact for a col-
lege Assessment Portfolio would be a
recording of a student's senior recital.
This contrasts with the Learning Portfo-
lio artifact, which contains audio sam-
ples of first-year juries along with the
culminating senior recital. In the assess-
ment model, only the final product is
revealed. Similarly, an experienced
teacher would include an artifact of the
most recent or most impressive concert
work in his or her program. In addi-
Collaboration involves faculty and fel-
tion to using this portfolio model as a
low student feedback for students of
culminating assessment tool of student
teacher training programs. For experi-achievement, music education faculties
enced faculty, collaboration can involve often use the information as a means
fellow teachers, administrators, or for-to evaluate the college or university's
mer professors within their training pro-program for internal purposes or for
grams. As a result of feedback, one isoutside evaluators. Components of the
continually setting new goals through-Assessment Portfolio are as follows:
out the pursuit of the degree and then
throughout a teaching career. Standards in teacher education.
Advantages of Learning Portfolios Standards in teacher education
include the following: articulate the desired outcomes of
a curricular program. Using a set
of standards as part of a portfo-
lio helps bring the intentions of a
the growth taking place through teacher training program into focus
specific experiences, thus building for the student and for anyone
a person's critical thinking skills viewing the portfolio. One set of
and self-reflection abilities
standards specifically designed for
the beginner teacher is the Inter-
form and articulate a greater under- state New Teaching and Support
standing of the connections within Consortium (INTASC) standards.
their required coursework The INTASC standards, created
in 1992 by the Chief State School
* Highlighting a person's ability
Officers' Consortium on Licensing,
to identify his or her individual are based on the aforementioned
strengths and weaknesses
five propositions defining "What
* Collaborating with faculty and Teachers Should Know and Be
peers, which encourages a truly Able to Do," and are often used
professional learning environment. as a frame for standards-based
63
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TABLE 1
Interstate New Teaching and Support Consortium Standards

Knowledge of subject matter

Standard 1: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she
teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

Knowledge of human development and learning

Standard 2: The teacher understands how children learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that
support their intellectual, social, and personal development.

Adapting instruction for individual needs

Standard 3: The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional
opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

Multiple instructional strategies

Standard 4: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' develop-
ment of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

Classroom motivation and management skills

Standard 5: The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning
environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Communication skills

Standard 6: The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to
foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

Instructional planning skills

Standard 7: The teacher plans instruction based on knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and cur-
riculum goals.

Assessment of student learning

Standard 8: The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to ensure the continuous
intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner.

Professional commitment and responsibility

Standard 9: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates his or her choices and actions on others
(students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to
grow professionally.

Partnerships
Standard 10: The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community
to support students' learning and well-being.

Source: Adapted from National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Web site: http://www.nbpts.org/the_standardsthe_five_core
_propositio.

prospective teacher portfolio mod-
els (see Table 1).
Standards for experienced teachers.
The five core propositions developed
by the NBPTS can be used to form
the basis of an Assessment Portfolio
for experienced professional educa-
tors (see Table 2).
INTASC and NBPTS are general to
any teacher education program.
More specific standards for arts
education programs and specifically
music education programs can be
designed using the general stan-
dards as the foundation.
An example of how an INTASC or
NBPTS standard can be modified
to fit a music education program is

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TABLE 2
Five Core Propositions

Teachers are committed to students and their learning

Standard 1: Accomplished teachers are dedicated to making knowledge accessible to all students. They act on the
belief that all students can learn.

Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students
Standard 2: Accomplished teachers have a rich understanding of the subject(s) they teach and appreciate how
knowledge in their subject is created, organized, linked to other disciplines, and applied to real-world settings.

Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning

Standard 3: Accomplished teachers create, enrich, maintain, and alter instructional settings to capture and sustain
the interest of their students and to make the most effective use of time. They use multiple methods for measuring
student growth and understanding and can clearly explain student performance to parents.

Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience
Standard 4: Accomplished teachers draw on their knowledge of human development, subject matter, and instruc-
tion, and their understanding of students to make principled judgments about sound practice. They engage in life-
long learning that they seek to encourage in their students.

Teachers are members of learning communities

Standard 5: Accomplished teachers contribute to the effectiveness of the school by working collaboratively with other
professionals on instructional policy, curriculum development, and staff development.

Source: Adapted from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Web site: http://www.nbpts.org/the_standards/the_five
_core_propositio

shown in Table 3. In this example,
INTASC Standard 1 (Knowledge of
Subject Matter) and a portion of
NBPTS Standard 2 (Teachers know
the subjects they teach ...) is made
more specific to music educa-
tors using National Association of
Schools of Music standards and the
INTASC Arts Standards."1 Careful
thought, collaboration, and plan-
ning are required to create stan-
dards that adequately represent
the goals of any music educator or
music education program.
Summative reflection. As in the
Learning Portfolio, reflection is
an important component of this
portfolio model. The main pur-
pose of the Assessment Portfolio,
however, is for work to be evaluated
at its completion. This differs from
the Learning Portfolio, in which
work is evaluated progressively. A
positive outcome of the assessment
model, particularly in teacher edu-
cation programs, is a true sense of
the student's involvement in the final
assessment process.'2
Advantages of Assessment Portfo-
lios include the following:
* A means to evaluate one's work in
the context of a set of standards
* A means to increase a teacher edu-
cation student's ownership of his orPortfolio components are as follows:
her learning by involving the stu-
dent in reflecting on the quality of
his or her own work
* A means to facilitate program
evaluation
Employment Portfolios
Employment portfolios (or showcase
portfolios) are designed to display a per-
son's work for the purpose of obtaining
employment. This type of portfolio is
essentially a marketing tool. Its contents,
therefore, are designed for presentational
purposes. Typically, the Employment
Portfolio is a sleek package, showing the
very best work accomplished. The collec-
tion, selection, and reflection process is
comprehensive but clearly designed with
the purpose of displaying one's accom-
plishments in teaching. Employment
Limited reflective commentary. The
Employment Portfolio is created
solely to market a person for employ-
ment. As a result, one will probably

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 be less candid about revealing limita- audio recordings, and video recordings
tions than in the other portfolio mod- organized typically in binder format or
els when reflecting on work over in some way that makes the materials
time. The purpose of this portfolio is accessible to the viewer. The binder sys-
to feature someone in his or her best tem can become cumbersome, however,
light. as the collector's holdings increase with
time. Furthermore, the binder system is
Efficient and focused design. The
almost always viewed in the presence of
Employment Portfolio can be the author. Due to time constraints and
adapted to appeal to a very specific
the complexity of navigating through so
audience. For example, if a candi-
much material, many details of this rich
date intends to interview for a K-3
collection are often overlooked.
general music position, the portfolio
can be modified to accentuate the
As technology has developed, so
too has the ability to streamline port-
skills and knowledge that would
folio collections. In recent years, uni-
be needed in an early elementary
versities have encouraged students to
general music program. Portfolio
transfer their hard-copy materials into
artifacts in this case might include
a digital format. The digital (or elec-
several unit lessons for a kindergar- Photo 2 Technology helps
tronic) portfolio holds a greater quan-
ten general music class. Designing streamline portfolio building.
tity of materials in many media types,
the portfolio contents to meet the
including videotape, audio recordings, Source: Photo courtesy of the author.
priorities of a specific job setting
and graphics, all contained in a com-
helps the student become a more
puter-readable format. In this way,
desirable candidate for the job. By materials can be accessed on a CD or
making appropriate choices in arti-
via the Internet, allowing viewers the artifacts electronically enables the
facts, the candidate can also demon-
opportunity to explore the contents of viewer to access connected materi-
strate his or her knowledge of the
the portfolio independent of the author. als with speed and with ease, dis-
requirements of the position to the
The convenience and ease of the digital playing all materials through one
employer and the ability to carry
format permit the materials to be more device, the computer.
out the duties. The design of an
thoroughly explored.
Employment Portfolio may or may Easily modified contents. Another
not include standards. National feature of the digital portfolio is the
and state standards, NBPTS, and ease with which portfolio contents
standards of the specific teachingThe Digital Portfolio can be modified. One can easily
concentration can easily be incorpo- add or remove artifacts without
Hypertext Links. One helpful feature
rated as the basis of an Employment physically reconstructing the entire
Portfolio. of the digital portfolio, the hyper-
portfolio in a way that might be
text link simplifies the process of
required of the hard-copy counter-
navigating through a large collec-
part. When a portfolio is modified
tion of material. Hypertext links
Advantages of Employment Portfo- for a specific job, as it was shown
allow the viewer to click on a topic
lios include the following: in the Employment Portfolio, the
that then links directly to artifacts
digital model can be reconfigured
connected with that topic. Viewers
Portfolios reflect on a person's and saved to a CD or posted on
are carefully guided through related
most significant accomplishments the Web while retaining the origi-
in the field or in the teacher train- artifacts, reflections, and references
nal portfolio. By simply saving the
instead of being left on their own
ing program. altered version of the portfolio, one
to connect the dots. It is a greater
can maintain multiple versions.
* Modified versions of this portfo- challenge for the viewer to find
lio can be geared for a specific job related artifacts in many pages of Easy distribution. The digital portfo-
interview the candidate is pursuing. hard-copy portfolio materials. In lio enables the creator to distribute
addition, if one item in the hard- it to many audiences simultaneously
copy portfolio is in an audio for- while maintaining a personal copy
Portfolio Formats mat, for example, the viewer must of the valued artifacts. In this way,
use another device to access the multiple viewers can have access to
The original version of a teacher port- recorded artifact, like a CD player the portfolio distributed by CD or by
folio consists of hard-copy documents, or a cassette tape player. Linking using a specific Web address.

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 TABLE 3
Suggested Adaptation of Interstate New Teaching and Support Consortium Standard 1 or National
Board for Professional Teaching Standard 2 (Knowledge of Subject) Using National Association of
Schools of Music and Interstate New Teaching and Support Consortium Arts Standards.

All music educators:

* should have functional ability in keyboard and voice in addition to their own instrument
* should have knowledge and skill in the areas of music theory, composition, music history, so that they are able
to guide students in creating, performing, and responding to music
* should have knowledge of technologies and equipment associated with music education, particularly in the area
of one's specialty

In general music:
* should have sufficient vocal and pedagogical skill to teach voice and choral ensembles
* should have sufficient ability on one instrument as a teaching tool providing accompaniment, transposition and
improvisation.

In instrumental music:

* should have knowledge of and performance ability on wind, string, and percussion instruments sufficient to
teach beginning students effectively in groups
* should have experiences in solo instrumental performance as well as in large instrumental ensembles
* should have laboratory experience in teaching beginning instrumental students individually, in small groups, and
in larger classes

In choral music:

* should have experiences as a solo vocalist as well as experience in large choral ensembles
* should have knowledge sufficient in voice to teach beginning choirs effectively in groups
* should have experience performing and knowledge of how to coordinate musical productions appropriate for
upper elementary grades through high school.

Technology features represented. layer to the way teacher education

(Table 4). For teacher education pro-
A portfolio in a digital format can programs can be structured, expe-
grams, a sample checklist is included
showcase the author's technol- rienced, and evaluated. In addition,
(Table 5), with ideas for assessing
ogy skills, which are becoming aa digital portfolio. It is recommendedexperienced teachers are better able
that a rubric be provided to college
requirement for teacher candidates. to collect, select, organize, and reflect
music education students, guiding
The portfolio speaks volumes about on their work over the course of a
the author's capacity to deal with
them through the exact expectations career. Through the experience of col-
the high-tech demands of many for the portfolio. In this way, students
lecting and reflecting, portfolios foster
educational institutions. look for the same elements when look-a greater self-awareness. Portfolios are
ing at their own portfolio as well especially
as valuable in demonstrating
A Model for Music Educatorsthose of their fellow students. accomplishments. This is particularly
true for music educators, who must
Conclusion
Portfolio development reveals some be able to demonstrate a diverse set
interesting possibilities for music edu- of skills and accomplishments. When
Portfolios are a valuable source of
cators. Elements of all three portfolio structured thoughtfully, portfolios can
information for and about students provide
types can benefit a music education and many benefits during a stu-
program or a working teacher in pur- dent's teacher training and throughout
teachers in the process of their teacher
suit of new employment or national training and in their teaching career.
his or her professional life. Collecting
certification. A suggested template for materials in this thoughtful manner
Whether portfolios are ultimately used
a music education portfolio combinesas tools for monitoring, assessing,inspires
or one to continue this process
displaying learning, they add a new
the strengths of each portfolio model throughout the teaching career.

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TABLE 4
Proposed Hybrid Model Components

A Digital Format

A digital format will be used for this portfolio model. This format can be created as a CD-ROM, or a two-disc set
including a CD-ROM and a DVD for video clips. In addition, this format can be viewed on the Internet. Care must be
taken, particularly if schoolchildren are featured on video clips or photos, to assure that distribution of either sort is
done only with the permission of the schools in which students are featured.

An Introductory Main Page

One of the organizational features of the portfolio is a main page that includes introductory remarks and a table of
contents. This table of contents is a listing of links that include the following:

- introductory remarks welcoming the reader including a brief explanation of the way the portfolio is organized and
a brief statement about the standards being used
- introductory material can be personalized to include the name of an administrator or school district for whom this
is designed, if the portfolio is being used for employment purposes.
- photo of the author
- contact information
- resume

- link to philosophy of music education

- transcripts, letters of recommendation, work reviews
- link headings for each standard to artifacts representing the standards
- other categories that can be included by the author's design

Each link goes to a page that displays at least one artifact demonstrating the

Artifacts

Artifacts include writing samples showing a person's ability to communicate in writing and to engage in intellectual
processes specific to music education. Other artifacts include audio clips, demonstrating skills in rehearsal and
performance. Video clips are included in the form of QuickTime movies or in the form of a separate DVD featuring
teaching demonstrations, conducting demonstrations, rehearsals, or performances. These artifacts should be intro-
duced with a brief explanation and can also contain reflective commentary.

Artifacts Connected to Standards

The links and coinciding artifacts will be organized around a set of selected standards. These standards can be modi-
fied to include details specific to the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of a music educator.

Attractive CD Case for CD-ROM

If the digital portfolio is on a CD-ROM, as opposed to the Web, the CD should be housed in a hard plastic case with an
attractive liner. This liner should look professional (no handwritten work) and should contain instructions for access-
ing the digital portfolio. These step-by-step instructions for viewing the portfolio should include the options for viewing
on a PC or Apple computer using various browser options. If there is a DVD included, instructions for the viewing of
the DVD should also be included.

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TABLE 5

Sample Checklist for Music Education Training Programs

First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year

Artifacts 1. Introductory Page Review goals from Review goals from Review goals from
Types 2. Interstate New last year last year last year
Photos Teaching and Support
Consortium Standards Add: Add: Add:
Audio Clip as separate links
*Writing samples *Video: *Writing
3. Links created for Conducting and Philosophy of Music
Writing *Video:
resume, philosophy of Teaching in Education
music education
Conducting Class
Methods Classes *Video:
Video (beginning work to
4. Photo gallery end of semester) *Audio Clips, Clips

5. Transcripts *1 audio clip *Photos, - from recital

performance;
6. CD must be housed *Writing (increase
in hard overcase with
Complete - clips from rehearsal
artifacts for
# of samples)
attractive liner of conducting
three additional portion;
Complete artifacts
standards
Specific contents for four additional - Refine resume
standards - Include transcripts
An artifact for 1 standard
Complete artifacts
4 Photos with captions for the remaining
standards.
1 Audio clip
Student Teaching
1 Writing sample: Requirements should
be added in portfolio,
Sample papers
which includes:
Resume
*Journal entries
Observations for each week of
student teaching
Each artifact must be
*Lesson plans
organized by title, date,
and a rationale statement
Other Artifacts:
expressing why the
artifact was used as *photos,
a representative of a recordings,
specific standard as well reviews, letters
as a statement expressing from students,
what benefit was gained parents, faculty
by the experience of this
artifact

(continued)

www.menc.org 69

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TABLE 5 (Continued)

First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year

Faculty and 1st semester: 1st semester: 1st semester: 1st semester:
peer support Faculty: conference Peer review in Peer review Faculty meeting finals
scheduled during finals music ed lab class during the music week to view portfolio
week ed lab class and to plan student
2nd semester: teaching artifacts for
Faculty meeting Faculty: portfolio; (journaling,
with portfolio; conference during video, pictures,
(part of Upper finals week: audio)
Division To prepare
conference Finals portfolio for 2nd semester:
Week) student teaching Meet during student
interviews teaching to view
portfolio in final form

Goal setting 1st semester: 2nd semester: 1st semester: 1st semester:
Goals set after advisor Goals submitted Goals submitted Goals for completion
meeting in December in second class of in second class of
must be submitted by second semester first semester
a date decided during
conference.

Portfolio End of 1st semester End of 2nd End of 1st Both semesters
(and artifact semester semester (2nd semester turn in
checklist) date is in mid-April)
Turn-in dates

Organization 1. Introductory page Add artifacts in Add artifacts in All standards must
of portfolio with table of contents, each category; each category have a minimum
picture, contact of one artifact per
information, and a letter Work on video Add video standard.
of introduction component material
All links must have
2. Interstate New
artifact materials.
Teaching and Support
Consortium Standards
Video material must
explained and listed
be completed on a
individually as separate
links separate DVD or in
QuickTime movie
3. Section for resume, clips on the CD-ROM
philosophy of music
education All artifacts require
introductory
4. Photo gallery
information
5. Transcripts and reflective
*additional categories commentary.
may be added
CD must be housed in
hard cover case with
attractive liner

70 Music Educators Journal September 2008

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Resources and Sample E-Portfolios
Topic
Comprehensive site
of electronic portfolio
information
Online publication resources
Sample templates
Samples of e-portfolios of
preservice teachers
Sample e-portfolios of
working teachers
www.menc.org
Site Address Comments
http://helenbarrett.com Tremendous resource for many aspects of electronic (digital)
portfolio development. Barrett has been a pioneer in this field.
1. http://helenbarrett.com/
myportfolio/index.html Some valuable links within this Web page:
"Multiple Versions of My On-Line 1. View "Multiple Versions of My On-line Presentation
Presentation Portfolio" Portfolio", which provides a listing of software and tools
to construct an online portfolio. Barrett has done her own
2. http://helenbarrett.com/
e-portfolio using multiple applications, beginning in 2004.
portfolios/bookmarks.html
She evaluates the options in great detail.
"Favorite Internet Sites" contains:
2. List of many e-portfolio vendor Web sites
"Commercial e-portfolio vendors"
http://helenbarrett.com/ In depth exploration of online publishing resources
myportfolio/versions.html
http://olms.cte.jhu.edu/olms/ Templates of digital portfolios are provided by some
output/page.php?id=2845 universities so that students creating their portfolios are given
the framework to submit their information and artifacts
http://music.case.edu/mused/
instead of first having to design these themselves. Some of
portfolios.html
the choices can be purchased and customized for your
own use.
http://www.uvm.edu/pt3/
Johns Hopkins University has made its design available for
purchase and can be customized for preservice teachers and
working teachers.
Case Western University template and electronic portfolio
information
This site contains work being done on templates at the
University of Vermont.
http://publish.bsu.edu/ These sites contain examples of music education portfolios,
mgdoublestei/index.html many of which are constructed on a predesigned template.
http://www.bsu.edu/web/
knkramer/index.html
http://www.bsu.edu/web/mlfro
wnfelte/portfolio/frameset.html
http://publish.bsu.edu/cfa/music/
mused/bsu_eportfolio/samples.asp
(Other music education samples
of digital portfolios)
http://www.cdli.ca/-delambe/ Working teacher portfolio examples can be used to find new
index.html jobs or can be used as part of the National Certification
process, which requires portfolio submission.
http://www.wizzlewolf.com/
ep.html
71
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 Resources and Sample E-Portfolios
Sample e-portfolios of
college professors that can
also be used for a component
of tenure or promotion
Digital storytelling:
This is an emerging trend
that can be used with or
without the digital portfolio
as a way to introduce
yourself. The advantage to
this is the addition of your
voice narrating the story
as artifacts are displayed
in a PowerPoint type of
presentation. Background
music also accompanies
the presentation, making
this a very entertaining
introduction to a digital
portfolio.
Notes
1. Dorothy Campbell, Pamela Bond
Cignetti, Beverly J. Melenyzer, Diane H.
Nettles, and Richard M. Wyman Jr.,
How to Develop a Professional Portfolio,
4th ed. (Boston: Pearson, 2007), 3-4.
2. See http://www.ed.gov/pubs/NatAtRisk/
index.html, for a complete copy of the
report.
3. Nathan Plank and Rick Ginsberg,
Commissions, Reports, Reforms, and
Educational Policy (Westport, CT:
Praeger/Greenwood, 1995).
4. See http://www.nbpts.org for more
information about national teaching
standards in the United States.
5. Nona Lyons, With Portfolio in
Hand, Validating the New Teacher
Professionalism (New York: Teachers
College Press, 1998), 15.
6. Helen Barrett, "Electronic Portfolios =
Multimedia Development+ Portfolio
Development: The Electronic Portfolio
Development Process" in Electronic
72 Music Educators journal september 2008
http://sunconference.utep.edu/ University of Texas at El Paso Web site: In "Overview," go to
CETaL/resources/portfolios/ "Sample Teaching Portfolios"
1. http://connect.educause.edu/ 1. Digital storytelling: Introductory article on an element
library/abstract/7ThingsYouShould that can be added to an e-portfolio or used as a stand-alone
Know/39398 presentation; click the Adobe PDF link to view article.
2. http://homepage.mac.com/ 2. A brief sample explaining digital storytelling, which can be
eportfolios/iMovieTheater24.html used in the classroom for student learning. This process can
also be used for storytelling of professional portfolio work.
3. http://helenbarrett.com/ 3. Digital storytelling is explained in depth. Tools for creating
digistory/index.html these stories are also listed on this Web site.
"Information about Electronic
Portfolio Development and Digital
Storytelling"
Professionalism (New York: Teacher's
Portfolios: Emerging Practices in
Student, Faculty and Institutional College Press, 1998), 16.
Learning, ed. B.C. Cambridge
10. Lee Shulman, "Teacher Portfolios:
(Washington, DC: American Association
A Theoretical Activity" in With Portfolio
for Higher Learning, 2001), 111.
in Hand, Validating the New Teacher
7. Ibid. Professionalism, ed. Nona Lyons.
(New York: Teachers College Press,
8. The authors Barrett and Carney
1998), 27-28.
submit, "An educational portfolio
contains work that a learner has 11. National Association of Schools of Music
collected, reflected, selected, and (search "Handbook" on NASM Web site:
presented to show growth and change http://nasm.arts-accredit.org/) and the
over time. . . . A critical component of INTASC Arts Standards (Model Standards
an educational portfolio is the learner's for Licensing Classroom Teachers and
reflection on the individual pieces of Specialists in the Arts: A Resource for
work, as well as an overall reflection State Dialogue), http://www.ccsso.org/
on the story that the portfolio tells." content/pdfs/ArtsStandards.pdf.
Joanne Carney and Helen Barrett,
12. In their article on "Web-Based
"Conflicting Paradigms and Competing
Portfolios in Music Education," William
Purposes in Electronic Portfolio
Bauer and Amy Doty suggest that
Development," see http://electronic
when students assess their own work,
portfolios.com/portfolios/LEAJournal-
it helps to increase students' sense of
BarrettCarney.pdf.
ownership in their learning process.
9. Nona Lyons, ed., "Portfolio William Bauer and Amy Doty, "Web-
Possibilities: Validating a New Teachers Based Electronic Portfolios in Music
Professionalism," in With Portfolio in Education," http://music.utsa.edu/tdml/
Hand, Validating the New Teacher conf-IX/IX-Bauer&Doty.html, p. 2.
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