FAQs
My physical portfolios have been working just fine for students. Why would I choose FreshGrade or Seesaw over a physical portfolio?
Physical portfolios are great however one limitation it has is that parents have to be at the school to access the portfolio. However, thanks to FreshGrade and Seesaw, parents can easily access their child’s learning and progress via a computer, tablet or another device without ever stepping foot in the classroom. These app-based systems allows teachers to use photos, text audio and video to make their students’ learning easily accessible to their peers and parents.
Why should I use digital portfolios in my classroom? How are my students going to benefit from them?
There are many reasons why you should consider using digital portfolios in your classroom, some of which according to Barrett ( 2000) include:
1. Students will develop a positive attitude towards their own learning
through having ownership,control, and direction of the learning
journey.
2. Students will enjoy individualized learning pathways yet still have
exhaustive collaborative opportunities.
3. Students will have numerous opportunities to document the
development of learners’ key competencies.
4. Students will be provided with an online environment providing equal
opportunities for all group members to contribute (especially for shy
students).
5. The use of multimedia tools provide frequent opportunities to capture
students’ learning, mastery and skill acquisition over time.
6. Increase in parental involvement because parents will be informed
on an almost daily basis. This can improve school-community
relationships and certainly helps parents better understand their
child’s learning journey.
7. Programs like Seasaw and Freshgrade serve as a storage repository
available throughout the students’ learning journey and are easily.
What are some of the learner outcomes that I can expect form using digital portfolios in my classroom?
Some learner outcomes you should expect when using digital portfolios according to Barrett (2003) include:
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Improved self-esteem, motivation and engagement in learning.
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Evidence of summative and formative assessment.
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Improved ICT and multimedia skills
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Equal opportunities for all students
What evidence is there that digital portfolios are beneficial to students?
There are numerous studies that have found that digital portfolios are beneficial to students. Brown ( 2002) discovered that digital portfolios increased students’ understanding of what, why, and how they learned, enhanced their communication and organization skills.. Similarly Zubizaretta (2004) stated that digital portfolios helps “to improve student learning by providing a structure for students to reflect systematically over time on the learning process and to develop the aptitudes, skills and habits that come from critical reflection.” (p.15)
What technology tools or software that can be used to create digital portfolios?
We recommend FreshGrade and Seesaw to create your students digital portfolios. These two online platforms allows students to create their digital portfolios while creating a classroom that promote collaboration and distributed learning. When students use Fresh Grade and Seesaw to create their digital portfolios, the classroom moves from a teacher-centered to a student-centered classroom.
What can my students include in their digital portfolios?
Barrett (2005) states that the contents of the digital portfolio are directly related to the purpose and audience for the digital portfolio. Firstly, you must ask yourself, "What is it I would like my students to show?” , “ What story are they telling with their digital portfolios?”
Barton & Collins (1997) suggest that the following be included in a digital portfolio;
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Artifacts: documents produced during normal academic work.
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Reproductions: documents of student work outside the classroom
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Attestations: documentation generated about student’s academic progress.
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Productions: documents prepared just for the portfolios. (Goal statements, Reflective statements and Captions)
Will parents have access to their child’s digital portfolio?
Yes, parents will have access to only their child’s digital portfolio. Once parents return their district consent form allowing their child to participate in FreshGrade or Seesaw, they will confirm their email address, they will receive an email to create their password. Afterwards they will download the free FreshGrade app and follow the prompts for parent access.
How can I encourage parents to get involved in FreshGrade or Seesaw?
You can encourage parents to get involved by informing them of the benefits of digital portfolios and how it can enhance their child’s learning through letters or emails informing them that FreshGrade and Seesaw is an easy way to stay in touch with their child’s learning throughout the year. Parents will have a continuous view of their child’s learning and progress through artifacts, pictures, videos, and descriptive comments. Inform parents that digital portfolio allows them to work collaboratively with their child and you, to meet their child’s specific learning needs.
How safe is the students’ information on FreshGrade or Seesaw?
Your students’ information is very safe with FreshGrade or Seesaw as data security and user privacy are their number one priority. Rest assured, FreshGrade nor Seesaw does not sell , user or share students’ data or content. FreshGrade and Seesaw are committed to ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data. Every precaution is taken to ensure the security and integrity of the data.
Will it be easy to get started with FreshGrade and Seesaw?
Yes, the sign up process is very easy ,straightforward and extremely user friendly. You should not have any problems signing in either site. There are numerous tutorials, a step by step application process and a support center to assist you.
How will the digital portfolios be shared and what should its lifespan be?
FreshGrade or Seesaw are online platforms that allow students to capture, document, communicate and share their own learning with their peers, teachers and parents. As the teacher, you will be able to easily share your students’ learning with their peers and parents via FreshGrade and Seesaw. Presently, FreshGrade does not extend its digital portfolios past the12th grade.
What are the costs associated to FreshGrade and Seesaw?
Both FreshGrade and Seesaw are currently free for teachers, parents and students to use. However, there are optional paid products for parents and schools.