RAPPORT
Volume 3 Issue 1 (2018)
2013). In addition, even though reflections
should not be fully removed, they can be
presented through hyperlinks or
summarized so that excessive text is not
present. The use of images and pictures
can be extremely helpful in the career
eportfolio for the purposes of gaining
attention (Klein, 2012).
Documentation of co-curricular
activities
Although courses are strong foundations
for the acquisition of knowledge,
sometimes curricular activities might not
be enough for students to learn all they
need for specific jobs or careers,
especially in terms of 21st century skills
such as creativity, communication, critical
thinking, collaboration and others (Holt et
al., 2016). Co-curricular activities offer
students the opportunity to complement
learning in the classroom with hands-on
experiences in real-life scenarios. Some of
these co-curricular activities can include
membership in organizations and clubs,
officer positions on boards, volunteering,
community service, study abroad
programs and other high impact practices
(Gordon & Campbell, 2013; Kuh, 2008).
The important part when engaging in these
co-curricular activities is documenting
them in the eportfolio and reflecting on the
learning that took place, specifying how
these activities helped the student grow as
a professional and apply and gain skills
that are necessary for a job or career
(Chatham-Carpenter et al., 2010; Light et
al., 2011). Hence, faculty members should
encourage students to become active
members of their colleges and universities
and use activities not only to socialize and
develop a sense of community, but to
foster authentic and connected learning
and gain or practise skills they cannot in
the classroom.
Projects and Artefacts
The career eportfolio should endorse the
student for skills connected to their future
careers, not only those acquired or
practised in the classroom or in one
particular course (Harring & Luo, 2016).
Projects from curricular and co-curricular
activities should be documented in such a
way that they are clearly connected to
specific skills. Based on the requirements
for a job or career, the student can collect
and upload projects from any experience
in college (Klein, 2012). Samardzija and
Balaban (2014) have provided examples
of the types of projects that can be
included in a career eportfolio. Based on
my work with students and hiring
managers, I will list the types of projects
and artefacts that students should
consider incorporating in their career
eportfolios.
•
Pictures. Quite often students struggle
with the documentation of learning
experiences and activities due to
reasons such as file format, space and
logistics. The use of pictures can be
successfully used to document any type
of learning, as long as the reflections
offer thorough descriptions of the
activities, lessons learned, skills
acquired and the connections between
these experiences and other areas in
the life of the student. Pictures can
communicate powerful stories,
especially for real-life activities such as
community service, volunteering, study
abroad, internships and summer jobs.
• Design documents and prototypes.
These documents vary from field to field
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