Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
a useful addition to programs which Web portfolios. This is a very valid concern
that must be looked at within all academic Web portfolio programs. Although
the notion of educating all students with Web portfolios on how to handle other
students inquiries would be highly difficult and unfeasible simply due to the mass
quantity of portfolios, students can be taught in Web portfolio classes to
forward inquiries to other students to the appropriate college office Web
contact address. Another problem that Sauer highlights which surrounds Web
portfolios is the actual time and effort that needs to be devoted to Web
portfolios. It is critical to understand how the Web portfolio will impact the
workload of the student and the professor. Sauer states: “The cost of such as
system is almost entirely in labor. Hardware and software to run a high-quality
Web site are quite inexpensive. But it is helpful to consider how to balance
student and faculty efforts into such a system” (Sauer, 2000, p.1). Sauer brings
up an extremely important concern surrounding successful and failed Web
portfolio programs within academia. The concerns of many faculty members
surrounding their absence from Web portfolio engagement is that it is “too much
work and I do not have time.” This is evident when checking some New York
colleges and finding less than 50 percent of faculty had a Web portfolio or even
a Web page. With other scholarship issues looming, courses loads, and
publications needing to be written, many scholars leave the Web portfolio for
the bottom of the heap. Even in cases where the students of the discipline need
an electronic portfolio for graduation, faculty members are still not involved in
creating their own Web portfolio. Streamlining and simplifying the Web
portfolio process will help build faculty involvement in Web portfolio develop-
ment.
Who Needs a Web Portfolio?
Everyone who is active in the information society, especially those who need
to find work for hire, should have a working Web portfolio. Web portfolios are
for everyone, and, in the future, everyone will want or need one. Regardless of
skill set and specialty, the Web portfolio will come to contribute to defining a
person's public and professional appearance. This appearance will be directly
involved in communication and commerce. The Web portfolio will be a conduit
and persuasion tool for getting work for hire and therefore will be common
among knowledge workers and businesses of all types. An individual or
